Possessed by Ashes
by cleverdeer
Summary: Percy and Annabeth go on a quest to get rid of Kronos's ashes in the River Styx. Percy gets attacked, and some of the ashes get in him. HE HAS NO INVULNERABILITY. I took it from him
1. Chapter 1

**This story jumps right into the action… Percy and Annabeth went on this quest to get rid of Kronos's ashes in the River Styx. Percy has no invulnerability, and this has a little bit of Percabeth**

**I Get Attacked By American Symbols**

The Dioki smiled from the sky, a grimace I could only describe as horrifying. I looked for a place to hide, but as luck would have it, I found nowhere. She pelted down from the sky, falling through the shields barrier as though it was a piece of tissue paper. Uncapping Riptide, I looked up.

Bad idea.

Her talons wrecked my face with an explosion of pain. Crying out, I lurched Riptide upwards, but the Dioki was too quick. She veered to the side, and promptly clawed my upper thigh.

"Annabeth!" I screamed, trying desperately to break her out of its trance.

"Percy-"She mumbled, but the Dioki screeched again. With a shudder, her face glazed over (It kind of hypnotizes her). The Dioki watched her with suspicion, so I seized my chance. With one move, I cut Riptide right into her neck. Screaming, the bird blew into a puff of smoke.

My jeans where wet. My jeans where _very_ wet. I collapsed onto the side of a trunk, trying to sort out what had just happened. We had been attacked.

That much, I could tell through the haze in my brain. The ground started to move under my feet like a shimmering pond, but I ignored it. Annabeth was still confused. I had to at least wake her up. But standing was hard. I fell over once, then again, and flat onto my ripped face the third time. "Annabeth. I need you to build a monument," I yelled to the ground. If that didn't wake her up…

"What- Oh. Percy, I know you're tired, but that is hardly the way to fall asleep. You're going to hurt your back," She laughed.

"Are you any good at healing?"

"I guess a bit. Why?" She asked confused. I rolled myself over so my face was upwards. I then looked right at her.

"Cause' I need it."

"Umm… Percy. You're talking to a tree… I'm behind you."I blinked a few times. Oh. It was a tree, but I could have sworn I had seen a face. "Oh my gods. Let me see your eyes. Turn around." As much as Annabeth tried to hide it, I could tell she was scared. So was I, to tell you the truth. Word of advice: never attack a Dioki head on. Just avoid being a half-blood all in all.

I turned over so I was facing what I could only assume was Annabeth. My whole face throbbed, like someone had shot me with a million paintballs. Everyone who plays paintball knows what I mean. Ouch. And that wasn't even counting my leg, which felt like a piece of cement at my side. I couldn't feel it at all, but that was probably a good thing now that I think about it.

I heard Annabeth stifle a sharp gasp, and then she got to work. The blurry shape was coming over to me. But there were 2 blurry shapes. I rubbed my eyes, and then yelped. Not only did it hurt, but now there were 4 blurry shapes, all mimicking each other. Annabeth didn't seem to notice.

"Percy? You're so pale. Try to sleep: it will help," She said, concern lining her voice.

"Ann-Annabeth. Which one are you," I blinked again. Oh great. Now there were 10.

"Percy, I'm over here." I uncapped Riptide, unsure really of who was who. I couldn't just slash at them all, though. One of them _had _to be the real Annabeth. I stood up shakily, heavily supporting myself on the tree trunk. The 10 blurry shapes rushed towards me, and I panicked. Like a maniac, I swung my sword left and right.

"Stop it! What are you doing?" Annabeth screamed at me.

"Which one are you?" I yelled at the sky. "Which one?"

"I'm-I'm the only one here. Try closing your eyes, but stop swinging your sword!" Like an idiot, I threw my sword at one of the shapes. It disappeared. If Annabeth hadn't grabbed my arm, I would have probably killed myself and her eventually. I screamed once when the blurry shape grabbed me, but Annabeth shut me up.

"Stop moving! It's me! BLINK!" She yelled in my face. Reluctantly, I closed my eyes. It felt as though my skin was being stretched out over my face, screaming in protest as it went. Quickly, I snapped my eyelids open.

"Oh…Sorry," I mumbled, right before the screaming protests of my face dragged me to the ground.

"Can you see?" Annabeth worried.

"Sure," I said, yellow spots dancing in my vision. Annabeth sighed in relief, then kneeled down next to me with nectar and ambrosia.

"Here, eat this. It will taste good." The sick feeling in my stomach told me otherwise, but I did anyway. Instantly, my vision started to clear.

"Thanks. Now let's go."

"Percy! We are moving nowhere. My gods, seaweed brain, can you not recognize when you're hurt?"

I muttered my protest, but Annabeth took no notice. She never did. I looked down at my leg, assessing the damage.

One glance was all it took to get me to throw up. Yellow and red blood was flowing freely from the gash. The skin around it was grey and lifeless. My eyes rolled back in my head and- as I had done too many times in my life- I feinted.

The taste of nectar brought me around. I felt a little better, despite the fact that I now had Band-Aids covering every inch of my face.

"Can you walk? We need to leave here before anyone comes," Annabeth said. Shrugging off the drowsiness, I scrambled to my feet.

"I'm fine," I muttered, shaking off Annabeths' help. I still couldn't feel my leg, but she didn't need to know that.

"Alright. But tell me if anything gets numb, ok? That- well- even someone like you should know that's a bad thing."

"Why is it so bad?" I asked, trying to sound innocently curious. Some part in the back of my head told me not to ask, for the answer would be bad. It was right.

"Well that means that- at a very random moment- the pain will come hard. We would have to give up the quest if that happened." She called, walking away. I dragged myself after her.

_It can't possibly be that bad_ I told myself. Anyway, I was used to pain, and I really didn't have a choice. I couldn't take this away from Annabeth. She had wanted a quest like this since she was 10. I didn't have the guts to tell her to stop, or even the guts to just look at my own leg. What a hero I was turning out to be.

"Where exactly I we going?" I asked, finally catching up with her.

"Are you limping?"

In response, I said something real intelligent. "Um… no."

"Ok. I bandaged up your leg really good, too. Anyway, we're going to MacDonald's."

"Wait- what?"

"I'm hungry," she shrugged. "According to this map, we don't have much farther to walk. I can't wait to finally eat something!" My stomach just about heaved at the thought of food.

"What about my face?"

"Those are camp bandages. No one will see through the mist. You'll just look kind of pale." She paused, "So… do you think that attack was part of the prophecy?"

"_Only 2 shall go on this quest_

_One fools choice will cause quite a test_

_The fates of both will lie in ones hand'_

_As one suffers a pain no mortal could withstand_

_Though the quests will succeed, lives may be lost_

_Forever cursed with the painful cost," _I recited carefully. "No, I don't think it was part. I mean, a mortal could probably stand the pain," I lied. The pain was spinning me in several directions. Only Annabeth was keeping me straight. That is, until we reached the town.

"Wait right here," She said. "I'll get us some food."

"Hold on, I can get myself-"

"Shut up," she murmured, running into the grease palace. Mortals where nearly flocking the entrance, like hens almost. I laughed at the thought. MacDonald's was just one big, fatty barn in my eyes. In theirs, it was food. As quick as she came in, Annabeth came back out and met me behind the shrub.

"I didn't know what to get you. You like cheeseburgers, right?"

"Yea, sure," I almost threw up at the smell as she handed me the food. I tried taking one bite, but couldn't even bring myself to have the food touch my lips. Carefully, I picked pieces off and threw them in bushes. Hey, I was feeding the –um… plants.

"Wow, that was fast," Annabeth smiled, analyzing my empty burger wrapper. "Here, have a fry." She handed me the greasy potato. For a while, I just stared at it."You only ate one burger, now you can't even eat a fry! Remember what you did in the summer?" I let out a small chuckle.

That summer, Grover had bet me he could eat more hamburgers then I could. We probably ate one cow each, and ended up tying with 22 burgers each. Still, though no one won, we were record holders.

"The hamburger champion can't even manage a fry," She taunted. I let out a small groan, than lifted the French fry to my mouth. As Annabeth watched, I reluctantly slipped it in my mouth.

At first, I was fine. It tasted like- well - like a French-fry. Until I swallowed.

Like an angry child, my stomach refused to take the food. Holding up one hand as an apology, I turned around and let the world see what I had eaten over the past couple of days. In the sludge puddle, one thing stood out. Among the sickening greens and browns, red ribbons where swirling in the mass of ick. Quickly, I threw some leaves on it, and turned back to Annabeth. Her face was skeptical.

"What?"

"You expect me to believe you ate everything after that?"

"Well… Yes. Cause' I did," I said in a way I knew would annoy her. "I just really hate those fries."

"Can you lift up your shirt?" I couldn't even stand up.

"That's an odd request. Why?"

"Because I need to see if- well just lift up your shirt." She said impatiently.

A little embarrassed, I stood up and lifted up my Camp half-blood shirt halfway. My cut was a lot more serious then I had thought.

Threads of red and black were creeping up my chest, forming something like a spider web around my stomach. Annabeth came over, and cautiously placed a finger on a thread.

I screamed so loud, the whole town shut up. Annabeth quickly recoiled her hand.

"Percy, you should have told me. We- we have to get back to camp."

"No," I said stubbornly, breathing heavily. "You are going on your quest."

"This quest is not as important as your life, which you could lose if Chiron doesn't see you soon." Black and yellow spots blocked my vision.

"Annabeth?" I yelled.

"For gods sakes, Percy, I'm right here!" She said. My leg buckled under me, and I collapsed right into my own pile of liquid trash. "Percy!" Annabeth yelped.

My leg felt as though someone was peeling off layer after layer of skin, holding a lighter right next to all the fresh flesh. I howled, still part blind.

"Percy! What is it? What's wrong?" Annabeth panicked, crouching next to my twitching leg. She tried to force nectar down my throat, but I just heaved it up. The burning was getting worse, gradually creeping up to where the red and black lines were. I could feel it.

Then suddenly, it all stopped.

"Hey, you. Is your friend ok?" A man asked. I blinked several times till I could see.

"I'm fine," I whispered, thankful my voice still worked. Annabeth sat shocked.

"You sure? We could hear you yelling from down the street."

"It was… um… a bad dream." I stuttered. The man saw right past my lies, and stared at my still twitching leg. Shakily, I got up and nearly hugged a tree, becoming eco-friendly in just seconds. Annabeth grasped my shoulder to keep me steady.

"Now, I may not be an expert," the man said, "but I know anyone bathing in their own throw-up is probably sick. Plus, your leg looks all weird and your face is so pale. Can I just take a look at you? I am a doctor, just not professional yet."

"NO-"Annabeth and I nearly shouted at the same time, but the stranger interrupted.

"I insist," he said, rushing over. Instantly, Annabeth pulled out her knife. She looked like medusa, staring at the guy as though she could freeze him. The weapon couldn't hurt him, but he didn't know that. He stopped mid step, just inches away from my quivering figure.

"We don't want your help," Annabeth snarled. "Don't tell anybody about this."

"O-ok," The man said. "Can't I just give your friend some medicine?"

"He's fine!" Just to prove what a lie that was, I slid down the tree trunk in a heap. Cursing, Annabeth tried to pick me up.

"Percy," She whispered.

"Hmm."

"Is your leg numb?" I considered lying to her, but she probably already knew the truth.

"Yup." I looked up at the man. "You can't help me anyway. Just leave."

He looked shocked. "But I want to help. You look… terrible. Kid, you're gonna' die."

I noticed the water bottle in his hand. "If you really want to help, give me your water bottle."

Confused he tossed it over. "Now leave," Annabeth growled. Reluctantly, the man walked away. I uncapped the water bottle and poured part on my leg. Nothing spectacular happened, so I gave Annabeth the bottle. She put some nectar in it, then handed it back to me. After removing the bandages, I poured this over the wound.

For a moment it hurt, than the hole shrunk a little. I felt better too, so I stood up.

"We have to finish the quest. The prophecy said we would," Annabeth pouted. "Can you even walk?"

"Sure," I said enthusiastically. Her face visibly lit up.

"Great, "she smiled. "But I am worried about you."

"I'll be ok. I live in the end, right?"

"I thought so."


	2. Chapter 2

**Pain Should Be My Middle Name**

We were doing pretty great. I had only fainted a few times, and we had almost gotten to the Styx.

"How ya' doin' Percy?" Annabeth called from behind her shoulder.

"Eh…" I grumbled. My leg was a dead weight at my side, and my face kind of hurt. But above that, I was more afraid of suffering through another one of those pain spasms.

"Eh good or Eh bad?"

"Eh normal and hurting. But I can still see!" I smiled pitifully. I had never taken being able to see as a reward.

"The quest should be over soon. Than we can go back to camp, and you can be back alone in your cabin and empty table."

"Well now I'm excited," I muttered

"So… _One shall suffer a pain no mortal can withstand_," Annabeth recited. "Do you think that refers to you right now? Or will I get hurt?"

"I dunno'. You're the Smart Girl." Annabeth glared at me around her shoulder, and then turned back around.

"Seaweed brain," she coughed.

"I feel appreciated."

"Good. I think we're sleeping here for the night-"As though someone came and hit me in the face, I fell.

Coincidentally, right into a pile of brush… I think. I couldn't see, and it was night time. I tried blinking

several times, but each time the darkness just got heavier. It that was possible. I tried to speak out, but

Nothing happened.

"Nico," I heard Annabeth yell.

"Annabeth, where is Percy?" His words where rushed.

"He was right behind me… Percy? Wait, Nico, why are you here?"

"My dad told me there was one particular spirit he wanted me to see die. I got worried, so I found the 5

spirits closest to fading. The one spirit was here. Is everyone alright?"

_No, I just like lying in bushes_ I wanted to say. Actually, I wanted to say anything, but had to remain quiet as Annabeth explained what happened.

"Oh no," Nico whispered. I heard leaves rustle, people's feet running frantically in every direction.

"Mrs. O' Leary!" Nico yelled. Out of the darkness, I heard what sounded like a cruise ship hit the ground. My hellhound let out an excited bark.

"Mrs. O'Leary! Sniff out Percy," Annabeth nearly cried. "He might smell strange, but it'll be him. Do it fast!" I heard heavy breathing near me when the air started to smell horrible. Suddenly, something wet slapped my face. Mrs. O'Leary had found me, and was now barking frantically. I heard Nico and Annabeth hurry over, then it sounded as though someone had been smacked.

Gods, I wished I had my sight.

"Percy?" Nico was at my side. I could tell. But where was Annabeth. I tried to ask.

"Uhhhhhhhhhhhh," I moaned. Well that didn't work. "ΑυτόΖημιά!" I was shouting, though I had no real idea what it meant. Oh great. I couldn't say anything I wanted to, but I was apparently just fine with gibberish. I later realized it meant this hurts in Greek.

"Percy, can you talk?"

"He can't see!" I heard Annabeth shout from somewhere behind me. "Why can't I get to you guys?"

"My dad put a shield around us. Only those of the underworld can pass through."

Two things passed through my mind.

One: Hades was really trying to kill me. That or he hated me… a lot.

Two: Ouch. My leg felt that familiar, toasty, on fire tingle.

Mrs. O'Leary was howling and licking my face. I had no idea what Nico was doing, since I was momentarily blind. Then, everything went eerily quiet. I blinked a few times till I regained my sight.

It was like sitting at the movies. I was watching myself, limp and lifeless on the ground. Annabeth looked like she was screaming, and Nico was making a fire. I blinked a few more times.

Yup: it was a fire. But a weird one. The flames were white and blue rather than the normal yellow or even green. Nico took a huge handful of the fire, and threw it at me. Why wasn't I burning? The answer felt like a frozen snowball.

I was dead. Or about to be at that.

But I _couldn't _be dead! I thought we were both supposed to survive! I looked back down at Nico. He was slumped against the tree, feebly putting out the fire that had engulfed me Annabeth was throwing any and all rocks she could find at the air, but they kept bouncing off the invisible wall.

Once the last of the fire on me was out, I just stared. Was I dead? As though to answer my question, I was suddenly back in my body. A rock hit me in the face, and my eyes sprung open.

"Percy!" Annabeth and Nico gasped. I tried to sit up, but I was way to dizzy.

"Thank the gods, you're alive. Nico said… well he didn't have as much hope as I did," Annabeth hugged me. Mrs. O'Leary came over and tackled me. Nico just stared.

"You were dead, Percy. You _died_. I- I felt you pass over."

"Guess I'm just lucky," I said, my voice muffled by Mrs. O'Leary's fur.

"A lot more than lucky. We're going back to camp." Annabeth said. I was so shocked I passed out.

A tiny bit of ambrosia woke me up. Nico was gone, and in his place sat Annabeth.

"Good morning," she smiled. But she was exhausted. Under her eyes lay huge, dark circles and her hair looked dull and dry.

"Where is Nico?"

"Hades brought him back under. It was scary. One moment we were talking, than the next, he just started crying and fading away."

"Is that why you look so tired?" I asked my voice rough and dead. Annabeth frowned.

"No. I was… I was afraid you were going to die." She whispered. "Percy, we have to get back to camp. You look like death itself is upon you, which could very well be true."

I thought about it for a second. "You know how I feel."

Annabeth smiled. "_It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life for me… and you're not feeling good,"_ I laughed, the pain like daggers up my sides. "Now seriously. We have to go."

"I go. You stay on your quest. I'll… I'll get Blackjack to get me home. Call Chiron to tell him." I said. To my disbelief, she frowned. With what looked like reluctance, she sprayed our water bottle, threw in a coin, then prayed to Iris.

"Chiron, Camp half-blood."

Chiron was reading, looking quite content in his wheelchair. It was a second before he noticed us.

"Annabeth? Is something wrong? Percy?" He said confused.

"Percy is lying out of view. I'll bring him over later," She sighed. "Now listen. Percy needs to go back to camp."

"Why?" For the third time, I listened as Annabeth retold our story.

"Stupid Dioki," I muttered.

"Can I see him?" Chiron asked. Annabeth walked over to me.

"Can you walk? Or... get up even?"

"Yes," I replied curtly. About a minute passed by.

"Percy?" Annabeth eyed me doubtfully.

"Fine. I need help." She came over and promptly helped me up. I stood trembling, waiting for my vision to fail or to just randomly collapse. But it didn't happen. We ever so slowly walked over.

Chiron watched me stand for a while. No one even shared a word.

So I coughed. You know, to break the tension…

"Grover had a panic attack last night," Chiron said softly. "He got up and ran yelling through camp. He woke everyone up, just to announce that he thought you had died. The empathy link you 2 share disappeared and Grover felt it. Everyone thought he was dreaming, but I knew better. What happened yesterday?"

"I –uh fell. Into a bush." I said.

"Alright, here is the real story. He did fall in fact into a bush. But then he got all blind and shaking and painful looking. Nico came and said this spirit was closest to dying. Hades wanted Percy dead. He put a field around Percy so only Nico could pass through. And… Percy did die. But Not fully, and Nico was able to find his soul and get it back." Annabeth cut in. Chiron looked troubled.

"Percy, can I see the lines on your chest?"

"Sure," I said, getting kind of tired. I lifted up my t-shirt, and looked down.

The threads where thicker and darker now, which could never be good. They stretched now, going up my right side and creeping on my shoulder. I hadn't even noticed.

"And watch what happens when I poke one," Annabeth said.

"No-! "I tried, but Annabeth had made up her mind. She stroked a black line near my ribs.

My mouth gaped open with a choking gurgle. I doubled over, feeling as though millions of nails had just been forced into one spot in my ribs. The looming black dots came back to my eyes, and I sobbed a little, just as my vision was taken from me.

Crying, shivering, and blind, I fell to my knees. Annabeth dropped down next to me.

"I'm sorry," She whispered. "Chiron had to see though. You would have lied to him."

"Percy, can you see?" Chiron asked.

"No," My voice cracked as I tried to keep back my moans.

"Nothing at all? Everything is black?"

"Yes."

"Then yes, you have to come back to camp. Fast, too. This is a lot more serious than you think. Have you given him nectar or ambrosia," He asked Annabeth.

"I tried, but he won't eat anything. It's been a day and a bit of not eating at all."

"Blackjack is coming. Annabeth, you can resume your quest." Chiron said grimly, than the rainbow disappeared.

"I really am sorry," Annabeth said quietly. I still couldn't see, but I looked up.

"It's alright I guess. You're right: I would have lied."

"Are you ok?"

I hesitated. "Um- yes. Sure. .. Are you?"

She gently touched my shoulder. I jumped a little, not expecting it. "I guess so. I'll be on this quest alone now… That will be strange."

"Sorry," I muttered half heartedly. "How long till Blackjack gets here?"

"I think we're in New Jersey. Yes: here on the map. We're in Hackettstown. I'd give Blackjack… an hour maybe? He flies fast."

I remembered the last time I had ridden him. It was when Luke had defeated Kronos. After that, I didn't really need to go anywhere. Now, on our quest to the River Styx to get rid of Kronos, I found myself really needing him. And, after months of _seaweed brain, _I kind of missed being called _boss_.

"Where's Riptide?" I asked suddenly.

"Here," Annabeth reached for my hand, and placed into it the cool metal pen. I still couldn't see, so uncapping it probably wouldn't be a good idea. But I really wanted to. "I've been keeping it till I knew you wouldn't freak out again."

"Uh- thanks." I said, finally blinking out the blindness in my eyes. Annabeth sat staring at me. "What?"

"You can see now? Good. I think Blackjack is here. Wow- that was only 30 min!" Annabeth sounded a bit sad as we started to hear the pulsing of wings.

_Boss! Man, you smell horrible. I mean… Hi! _I heard Blackjack shout excitedly in my head. His huge, black horse-self landed right in between me and Annabeth.

"You are _so_ going to need help getting on that horse," Annabeth said. I grumbled once, but accepted the help. Finally, I was holding on to Blackjacks mane for dear life.

_Man, Boss, stop shaking! You're making me jittery,_ Blackjack complained.

"Sorry," I said, turning to Annabeth. "Bye… Good luck."

She kissed my hand gently, sending a good tingle through my arm. "Goodbye."

At that, Blackjack ripped away. I got dizzy, so I closed my eyes. Before I realized it, I fell asleep, 500 feet in the air.

_Yo, Boss. Wake up: we're at camp._

I looked up groggily.

Strawberry field's scents drifted into the sky, just as camp came into view. It felt like home. Blackjack flew only a little bit farther, just till we spotted Chiron… Well when Blackjack spotted him. I was still a little messed up.

As softly as he could, Blackjack landed with me nearly choking him.

"Thank you," I whispered.

_No problem Boss. Feel better. _I nodded, than contemplated how I was getting off this Pegasus. Not easily, I knew that. Suddenly Chiron ran over.

"Let me help," Chiron said, carefully kneeling for me to get on to him, then the ground. It worked after some trouble. "Now, Percy, we need to go to my cabin." He started walking along as I hurriedly tried to catch up. My leg was a stick at my side.

Several cabins watched as I lumbered by, trying to seem unnoticed. I failed at that, by promptly feinting right in front of the Apollo cabin. They made poems for the way carrying me to Chiron. Haikus, to be exact. Millions and millions of haikus.

_Percy got bitten_

_Now he is plaguing our grounds_

_With terror and cries._

I hated that one the most. I couldn't help it if I feinted. This was a pain no mortal could even live from. Chiron was waiting at his cabin as the Apollo cabin set me back on the ground.

"Thanks," I muttered, a little embarrassed. They all nodded and smiled as I turned to Chiron. "Uh- sorry- I passed out."

He frowned. "That's not a good thing. Come inside," he gestured for me to lie down on a makeshift bed. I instantly did. "You will not be sleeping in your cabin, but rather mine. After everything, I don't think you would survive a night alone. Now, let me see those lines."

I knew what he meant, and lifted up my shirt. He also made me role up my sweatpants to see the original cut. I tried not to look, fearing another throw up moment. His brow furrowed.

"This should have healed up already. I don't get it. Here, let me-" He ever so lightly poked a black line. It didn't hurt much, since it was on my numb leg.

"My Gods-"Chiron gasped.

"What?"

"I- I can't tell you. Not yet."


	3. Chapter 3

**I Never Liked Green With Gold**

Chiron still had me camping in his cabin, and it was everything but exciting. He kept looking at me strangely, but wouldn't tell me why. He looked… scared almost.

_And _to make it worse, Annabeth wasn't back yet. She was left alone on the quest to get rid of Kronos's ashes in the River Styx, so he could never reform. He would be burnt into nothing, and nothing can't come back... At least I don't think it can. Mikayla tried to reassure me about that every day. She was the Apollo cabin leader, so naturally she could heal almost anything. Apparently, my disease, cut, burn… thing fit into that small category of things she couldn't heal. But at least I had another presence in the room.

"How ya' doing?" Mikayla asked when I woke up.

"Same as every other day," I grumbled. Chiron made me tell the truth, so I couldn't say good.

"That bad? Let me see your face." I rolled over in my bed and let her inspect me. Every day, the black and red lines kept creeping up my neck. They were almost at my face, and going down my right arm. I couldn't touch anything with my hand, unless I wanted to lose sight and feel crippling pain.

Mikayla frowned. "The nectar and ambrosia should have helped," she murmured. "Can I?" She said, motioning her hand towards one of the lines.

"I'd rather you don't!" I shouted. She instantly recoiled. "Thank you."

"Well if you won't let me do that, at least take a walk. Oh and here: someone from the Hermes cabin said they found this. After you read that, we are going."

She handed me the letter. With my good hand, I opened and slowly read.

_Dear Perseus,_

_I have heard about your recent injuries, (The mermaids love passing rumors).If this gets any more serious, you are to send me a letter IMIDIATLEY. This could turn into something very bad. With the presence of the sea, you will surely be able to heal faster. Oh, Tyson and Rainbow say hi._

_With much love,_

_Tyson, Rainbow and Poseidon_

Like anyone would have done, I read it over several times. Finally, Mikayla snatched it from me.

"I know dyslexia makes us slow, but not _that _slow. Come on: time for a walk." Slowly, she helped me put on a sweatshirt. None of the other campers where aloud to know about the extent of my injuries. If I walked out in only a t-shirt and shorts, the campers could see all the threads of pain.

When I was finally stable enough to stand up, Mikayla dragged me outside, claiming the 'fresh air will do you good'. I laughed at that lie. We took slow, simple steps till we finally made it out of the cabin. Grover was waiting outside.

"Hi Percy!" He grinned. His horns were totally out of his hair now, so he didn't get out much. "How are you feeling?"

"Uh- great. Just perfect."

Grover looked skeptical, but he let it pass. "I haven't-"

"Grover!" Juniper shouted excitedly. "Come fast!" With an apologetic smile, he scuffled off. Mikayla pulled me forward as I tried to dodge the stares. I hated all the attention I was getting. I wasn't like… special or anything, yet people couldn't stop looking.

We were passing my cabin then. Nothing seemed new when I glanced inside. The only thing there was about an inch of dust, and my Minotaur horn. My sword and shield/wristwatch was in Chiron's cabin. I didn't need it now.

"Can we go in my cabin?" I asked Mikayla.

"Sure if it's quick." I smiled when the sea scent hit my face, than blacked out. _Again_. I tried to act as though nothing had happened, so no one would notice. This time, Mikayla could tell.

"Percy?"

"What?"

"I just waved my hand in front of your face. Guess what? You didn't even blink," She said.

"Yeah I can't see…" I mumbled, quiet enough that no one but Mikayla heard.

"Alright, let's sit down then. Try to act normal so-"Her voice was cut off by silence. I whipped my head around, looking for Mikayla when all I saw was blackness. I stuck my normal hand out in front of and started groping around for anyone. (In the next chapter, it kind of explains what happened here)

No one was there.

"Hello?" I shouted into the air. "Anyone there?"

A pounding pain hit me in the leg, and my heartbeat faltered. Gasping, I tried to stay level and conscious

"-no one will notice… Percy?!" Mikayla's voice cut through the silence. Someone grabbed my shoulder, gentle but firm. I was biting my lip practically off, trying not to cry out. I could feel my sanity being diminished by the pain, fast and furiously. "Breath Percy. If you don't breathe, you don't live," Mikayla tried to stay calm. I took in a small breath, but it didn't help.

"Percy, what's wrong?" A familiar voice added.

"Nothing is wrong with him," Mikayla snapped.

"But his face is so-"

"Annabeth, he is… Well just go get Chiron."

I think for a moment, I was insane. "Hi Annabeth," I smiled through the pain. Mikayla screamed a bone chilling shriek, and let go of me.

"P-Percy?" Annabeth whispered. I flashed one last smile, than welcomed the cool ground as I fell into it.

"How is Mikayla?" Annabeth said quietly.

"She'll be fine," Chiron replied.

"What did he do to her?"

"He- he burnt her."

"But Percy is all about water, not anything like that," Annabeth said shocked.

"I know. And now with the strings climbing up his face… Soon he will be in too much pain to move." Annabeth stifled a cry. "No crying, my dear hero," Chiron spoke softly. "This is Percy- This is Seaweed brain we're talking about! Has he ever let anything stop him?" Annabeth laughed weakly.

"I guess not."

"That's right. He will be better soon," Chiron assure Annabeth.

"Thanks, Chiron."

"You're welcome. Now I must attend dinner. Do you want something?"

"Yes. And bring something for Percy and Mikayla," Annabeth sighed. "They might end up being hungry." When I heard the clip clopping of hooves leave, I opened my eyes. Mikayla was in a bed next to me with a bandaged hand, snoring just slightly. I looked myself over, and found I had quite a few bandages myself.

What had I done to Mikayla? What was wrong with me? What if I never get better? _Calm down_, I told myself, but I just couldn't.

I had burnt Mikayla, and had gone certifiably insane for a moment. What had that Dioki done to me? I felt like another soul was sharing my body: one much more evil. One that wanted to control me. I quickly shook that thought from my head, as it would lead to much more dangerous thoughts.

Annabeth must have noticed me being awake, for she walked over to my bed and sat down.

"Did you finish the quest?" I asked.

"Yes. Without you." She said tersely.

"I'm sorry. I didn't ask for this. In fact, I hate it, but I can't change it."

"I know what you did to Mikayla was a mistake," Annabeth said quietly. "I know you would never do that. But that alone can't stop it from being scary." I winced at the comment. I was scary? Annabeth continued. "Don't worry Percy. We're gonna' fix you."

"Can I have a mirror?" I asked suddenly. I needed to see how far up the lines were. Nervously, Annabeth handed a small mirror to me.

Imagine a lightning bolt. Now connect about 15 more to the first one. That exact design was on my face, connecting with my eye and stretching up my forehead. I had to blink a few times to even be sure it was me.

As much as I wished it wasn't, it was. "Does my mom know any of this?" I asked Annabeth.

"Yes. Your mom is coming tomorrow." I looked back at my reflection. Something was wrong; I just couldn't put my finger on it. I studied my face carefully.

I still had the black hair, the tiny little birthmark just above my hairline. But my eyes where different. One was sea green, my favorite color in the world. The other… The other was an odd mix off gold and green together. I had only known one person with gold eyes, and he was sizzling at the bottom of the River Styx.

"Annabeth, you got rid of all 6 bags of Kronos' ashes, right?" I asked, my voice trembling.

"6? I thought there were 5. Do you think the Dioki took one? They fell out of my bag when I was hypnotized."

I knew what was wrong with me, and it terrified me. I wasn't sure whether to scream or just die right then and there. I chose neither, and went with feinting instead. Feinting as I heard the 2nd soul in me laughing.

"Percy, wake up," Chiron said calmly. Because I really had no other choice, I opened my eyes. Chiron was standing nervously over me, and we were alone. "Why did you feint?"

I was breathing shallow, knowing that each breathe not only keep me alive, but also the thing possessing me.

"Percy, calm down. You need to tell me so I can fix it," Chiron whispered. I looked up at him petrified.

"Kro-" I was about to tell him when pain shot at my side. I screamed and curled into the fatal position. Kronos wasn't going to let me tell them; not without killing me first. My vision was tinged with red, but the pain had died a little. So, like an idiot, I tried again.

"It's Kro-" The earlier pain seemed like a piece of cake compared to this. It felt like someone was ripping away the normal part of me; the good part. It kept ripping, until there was finally nothing there. I lay, trapped and tortured in my own mind, unable to speak out or anything. The pain wouldn't allow it. Chiron looked pitifully at me, unable to do anything for me as I cried.

"It's Kronos," I gasped, the pain spiking up. "He's- I can't- HELP!" I shouted at Chiron. Annabeth ran into the room as I writhed on the bed. Like in a movie, she slapped me I the face. Right where the lightning bolts where.

The good thing: I was thinking for myself for a bit. No Kronos.

The bad thing: well it hurt. A lot. I felt like I was run over by a truck, then he backed up to see if I was ok. I screamed and cried and even threw up a little. The end result was a dark room, me in the corner sobbing and shaking, and Annabeth sitting on the bed with Chiron, Mikayla, and even Nico. He had come when he sensed I was going to die… Again. The only people missing where my parents.

Finally, Nico spoke. "I may be able to help you. But it's going to hurt. It's going to hurt a lot."

"How," I asked emotionlessly.

Nico took a deep breathe. "Well, it's hard."


	4. Chapter 4

4

**THIS CHAPTER STARTS A WHOLE NEW PART TO THE STORY (lots of Nico later on.... and some percabeth .... And Another quest :] )**

Nico looked troubled. " I have to stab you with a bone from a friend. Don't ask me why, that's just how it works. I stab you in the leg, and then kind of… dig. Till I break the bone where Kronos possessed you. When I say break, I mean snap. I have only done it once… Oh, and you have to be awake. It's in your femur right?"

"Yes."

"Well that won't be fun."

*******

Kronos was in me, and it was getting worse by the hour. I would find myself getting angrier and angrier, my eye changing till it was gold with green flecks. I even lashed out at Mikayla once for forgetting my last name. I felt terrible afterwards. I wanted to say an apology, but some part of me wouldn't allow it. And, to make things worse, my mom was going to be here soon. I couldn't live with myself if I snapped at her.

She would know I wasn't me the moment she saw me. The lines were covering the whole side of my face, stronger and darker. I couldn't blink without felling a tight pain around my eyes. My eyes… Those were what probably made people weary of me now. One was completely gold, as though inside of my head was filled with drachmas. The other was lined with gold. I felt as though the green part of it was the good part of me. Like it were keeping me from biting people's heads off when they did something mildly stupid. With the way things were going, lots of people would end up being headless by tomorrow.

Annabeth came in to say hi a few times, but she couldn't look me in the eyes. I found her staring at my forehead, my hair. Anything but the eyes. And our conversations always ended short. What do you say to a future puppet of Kronos?

As you can imagine, I kind of just wanted to sleep. For a while, or at least till I was me. Clean and not evil. No one wanted to be near me even, fearing I might get mad at them. Only Nico was ok with the situation.

"So have you thought about the whole bone in leg thing?" Nico asked quietly. He had been bringing it up a lot, pushing me to do it.

"Yes," I said reluctantly.

"And? I mean, it's really your only possible option. Unless you want to be forever enslaved by-"

"I'm not sure yet. Is there any other way?" I wasn't keen on the idea of having my leg split open, or even hearing Kronos's name being said aloud. It was weird, but I felt as though it gave him more power. _Like he needed that_.

"I could ask my dad. He-" A flood of cold washed over me, making me shiver. As though a string were attached to me hands and legs, I was on my feet, Riptide out and trembling in my hand. I had no idea why I was doing this, but I couldn't sit down.

"Do not tell me," I said in a harsh whisper. "Don't tell me or I swear by the river styx that I will kill you. Slowly, and as painfully as death can be." It didn't even sound like me, which was a little weird. I tried to throw the sword out of my hand, but it didn't work. Nico stared, pale and confused.

"Percy? Or- uh- Kronos?" he stammered, coming to the conclusion that I couldn't possibly be normal if I had just said that to him. I took my sword and strode out of the cabin, Nico staring blankly after me. "Wait! You're not allowed out!" He shouted. I knew that though. Chiron had reminded me every hour. What I didn't know was what the heck I was doing, or where I was going.

We continued on a path, passing all the cabins as people glanced confused at me. Whatever was controlling me smirked at them, and even said things. He told the Hermes cabin how useless they were, and the Aphrodite cabin they were the worst looking creatures he had ever laid his eyes on. Several of the girls ran quickly to a mirror as the guys scowled. I just laughed, whatever possessed me finding humor in their worry.

Annabeth was walking by, probably going to check on me. "Hey Percy: why are you out of the Cabin? How are you… " She paused, studying my face. "Your eyes are both gold. Wait- Kronos-" She went to tackle me when time stopped. Annabeth hung in midair, arms outstretched to knock me out of it. Everyone around her was frozen too. _I had froze them in time_. Of course. Kronos could freeze time.

A thought somehow managed to make it to the sane part of me. The last time I blacked out, Mikayla had stopped her sentence midway. That normally didn't happen. The Kronos part of me must have stopped time so no one could help me stumble back to Chiron. What he was doing now could only mean one thing.

It was getting worse. Soon, I would be just like Luke. I felt a small surge of sympathy towards him. Being controlled by someone else is not fun, and he probably had to deal with it most of all. Then again, it was his idea to be a slave of Kronos.

I laughed chillingly, and then carried on with whatever I was doing. Annabeth was left, frozen in the air with everyone else as far as I knew.

Could I push Kronos out? Would he even let me try?

_Stop it! _I yelled feebly at my brain. It took no notice. With Kronos leading my steps, I walked to the beach of all places. We walked just to the water's edge, when Kronos spoke. There was a twinge of accomplishment in my cold voice. "Watch, Poseidon, as your only hero son dies!" I shouted at the water. Unwillingly, Riptide came up to my neck, and what Kronos was doing came down on me.

I was his only real threat. I could stop him if he ever came back. If he killed me than possessed my lifeless body, there would be no one but the gods to deal with. I couldn't let that happen.

I tried to force my hand down, but it was like pushing a house. With no success in my first attempt, I shouted, taking Kronos off guard. He quickly took over again, but was more cautious with how he controlled me this time. Riptide was still inching closer to my neck. Zeus must have heard me shout, which was probably a good thing in the end. A light flew down from the sky, bright and fast.

How I knew it was Zeus? I was hit with a lightning bolt. It came with a flash of light, then my nose filled with the smell of burnt clothes. Jerking as though I had been shot, I gained control of my mind just in time to watch it slip into sleep… Again. But sleep was better than being controlled, so I couldn't complain.

"Where is my Percy?!" I heard my mom shout. I opened my eyes, glancing nervously at Zeus and Poseidon. My ears where buzzing with electricity, but also thumping with pain. I now know why little kids are afraid of thunder and lightning. _Especially lightning_.

"Mom?" I croaked. The air smelt burnt and salty at the same time.

"Oh Percy. What happened to your beautiful eyes?" She cried. She turned to my dad. "Poseidon, we need to fix this now."

"I agree fully. Young Nico may know how, but it is risky and painful," My dad said sympathetically. "I am sorry this happened, Sally."

"Me as well," Zeus boomed. "I'm- er- you should be thanking me Percy! You would be dead if I didn't hit you with a lightning bolt." I took that as an apology for hitting me with a lightning bolt.

"Uh… Thanks," I said confused. "Wait, are we at the beach?" The water kept hitting my feet, sending cold spurts up me. Suddenly, Nico was next to me.

"He was friends with my sister, right?" In his hand, Nico held a sharpened off bone. With jagged points going up the sides, he held the tibia of Bianca like a sword.

"Yes," Poseidon answered to both of us. Suddenly, my mind clicked. They were going to chop me up now, on the beach, the crude weapon made of human.

"Wait. Do I even get a say in this?" I shouted. "No one even asked for my opinion on this!"

"THAT IS BECAUSE WE DON"T CARE ABOUT YOUR OPINION!" Zeus yelled. "I will NOT have Kronos coming back. Not when I'm alive, and since I'm immortal, that means never… Nico START!" Nervous, Nico's eyes darted between me, Zeus, and my leg.

"Sorry Hades. Please… Afterwards… Don't- I have to do this-" I couldn't hear what he said after that, for I was too nervous. With a pitying look, he gripped the bone and walked towards me. And, honestly, I felt bad for him. I wouldn't want to do this to anyone, let alone a friend. My mom hugged me and held my hand. Like a little kid, I shut my eyes and focused on the grit of the sand and the coolness of the sea water. For one precious moment, I was calm. _This isn't going to last long_, I reminded myself. May as well say my goodbyes now. You never know.

"I love you mom, even if I am half possessed and crazy," I said. She smiled a teary smile.

"And I love you, even if you are evil and possessed." We both laughed, but it was short lived. Nico didn't even tell me he was doing it, probably for my own sake, gods bless him.

He stabbed me with the bone. I can't find a word to describe how scared I was, or how much it hurt. I practically crushed my mom's hand in an effort not to yell. Trying not to hurt her, I let go. It looked just like a scene out of the Exorcist, when they try to rid the young girl of the demon. When I think about it, that's exactly what Nico was doing to me. As the bone got deeper, the pain got worse. I almost wished I was dead. I heard my mom start to cry and Nico start hyperventilating. Never a good thing.

And yet, to my great distress, he continued. I was struggling to stay awake, the pain crushing me. My mom tried to hold my hand but I recoiled. My whole body felt like it was being beaten, and no one would help me. I wanted to scream and cry and stop Nico but I couldn't. After all, I couldn't keep Kronos inside of me. That would end up worse than being stabbed and snapped, even if it was hard to believe at the time.

I focused on that thought. It kept me awake, and slightly more focused. I kept reminding myself that eventually the pain would end, and my life would be normal. Well, as normal as it was before. A minute or so passed of hissing sighs and silent tears.

"Ok, I'm gonna snap it," Nico whispered. So, unable to cover my ears, I heard the snap. Kind of like snapping a pretzel, but the pain was more like being mauled by a bear. As quiet as I had been, I screamed and screamed till it echoed around in my mind and the minds of everyone around me. My eyes kept involuntarily focusing in and out when I opened them, causing me to throw up. It was the worst pain I had ever experienced in my life: like millions of pins and needles fitting into one tiny pin prick. Zeus had on a relived expression, Poseidon's face one of pity. A green gas drifted up from the blood and crushed bone, Zeus trapping it in a gold yet somehow see-through jar. Quite content with himself, he tucked into one of his jacket pockets.

"Percy, you're done." My dad whispered at my quivering figure. "Go back to camp: they will help you there. Oh, and no nectar or ambrosia for today." I moaned, my leg feeling as though it were engulfed in a flame thrower. "We gave you some for the lightning bolt. I- I will visit you soon."

With a snap, one not so different from what happened to my leg, my mom and I were back at camp, in the middle of my old cabin. Annabeth was there, cleaning off my stuff. Too bad I had to ruin it with blood and vomit. How nice a friend I was. Even more importantly, how nice a friend _she _was. Cleaning off all my stuff: it almost made me smile. Almost.

"Mrs. Jackson? Percy!" Annabeth shouted surprised. She got up quickly, then ran out of the cabin.

Imagine halfway up your thigh being stabbed in half. Crushed, with the bone of a friend. Do all that, and try not to shudder. Now put yourself in _my _situation. See how terrible it is?

I felt like I was dying. Black spots floated in my eyes, and my leg felt awkward and strangled. I looked down at it with disgust. The bone was an ugly yellow where Kronos had kept his ashes, split and crushed into millions of fragments. Nico had finished the job. _And he killed you in the process_. Only my mom holding me was reminding me that I was actually living.

"Percy, think of Tyson and the Ocean!" she sobbed. "The salty sea wind and the crashing of the waves. Shells and sandcastles. Stay with me at the very least."

My breathing was harsh and shallow, but it was _me_ breathing. Not Kronos. I was only keeping me alive with the labored breathing I was doing.

"Yay," I whispered to myself.

"What?"

"Ouch. "I heaved one more time before Chiron galloped in, Annabeth right behind him. He took one look at my split leg, and knew what had happened. His face tuned a little green, too.

"Is Kronos out of him?" Annabeth cried.

"Yup. I'm- I'm ok," I smiled, though it was more like a grimace.

"I love you, Percy," my mom whispered. After a fit of leg twitching (Your muscles spaz out when you have a bad break), I finally passed out. After what happened, I _deserved_ it.

I was ravenous. Right when I woke up, I sat straight up and announced, "I could eat you Grover." He backed away a little after that. Mikayla smiled, then went hopefully to get food. Annabeth ran right over and kissed me. I relaxed in her arms, until Grover let out an awkward cough. I smiled, a little embarrassed.

"I sometimes wish we didn't have the whole 'empathy link' thing. It scares the berries out of me sometimes. A lot recently," Grover smirked.

"Nice to have _you _back," Annabeth said, patting my shoulder. "How's your leg? You have a compression fracture."

"And that is…" Me and Grover asked at the same time. Annabeth laughed, and it made my broken heart soar.

"It's when the bone is crushed and flattened. I think Nico let out a little aggression on you."

"Where is he anyway? I need to… thank him I guess." After all, he did get rid of Kronos for me. I would still be gold without him. Which reminded me. "Can I see a mirror?"

"He was a bit disturbed at what he had just done. Then Hades took him back. I'm worried about him, Percy. We… We need to find him. Hades took him in a plume of black fire." Annabeth whispered. I pushed that thought to the back of my mind.

Grover handed me a mirror. I smiled at myself. My eyes were back to the green I loved, and I had no more lines on me. Well one, but it was a thin red one in my eye, stunning against the green. Otherwise unnoticeable, so I was happy. Annabeth hugged me, and we stayed like that for a while. Eventually, Grover left and was replaced by my mom... We had to stop hugging.

"Perseus, you scared me to death," I winced as she said my full name. Annabeth just smirked. "I thought you were gone for sure, but here you are. Soon you'll be walking around and better as ever!" I snorted softly at that. I couldn't even move, let alone walk. But the pain was a lot less compared to what it had been. I yawned once.

"Are you tired?" Annabeth said worried.

"Well, yeah. But I'm just-"

"We'll leave," my mom said rushed. She walked out, pulling a reluctant Annabeth with her. I put my head on the pillow, and instantly dreamed.

"That was not smart of you."

"You should have known I was going to do it."

"That doesn't change it from being idiotic!"

"I had to," Nico was explaining. "He would have died, and you know it. It was a miracle he didn't die the second I stabbed him."

"It would have been better for you if he did die," A familiar voice growled. " He is a threat to me. He could cause me pain I haven't felt in hundreds of years. You've never even felt real pain." Nico tried to object, "NEVER! Not like I have. But I shall show you it, have no worry about that," Nico burst into a bonfire of black flames.

"Please, Dad. Stop! Dad- OWWWWW!" Nicos' strangled scream echoed.

"Not now," I recognized that voice. Hades.

"DAD! You're the only family I have left-" he cried in the flames. "You're supposed to love me!"

The flames flickered off. Nico was curled around his knees, pale despite just getting out of a forest of flames. Hades eyes where shooting death at anyone who dared to look at him. Even in a dream, I felt like looking away. "How," Hades hissed, "Is anyone expected to love someone_- something_ like you? I regret you even being born, but I do not want to kill you. Then I would have to deal with you for the rest of my life down here. Your poor sister: I often wish it was you who was killed." At that comment, Nico seemed to die inside. His eyes lost the little glow they had left, the bags under them growing so much darker. He looked on the verge of tears.

"But I can't change the past," Hades said longingly. "So I'm stuck with you. Loving you is simply impossible, since I can't find anything about you to love!" Nico let out a soft, muffled sob. "Now. Real pain, as I promised. Let's get started,"

The last thing I heard was a scream. The sound tore through the darkness, angry and filled with fear and hatred towards everything. It was high and loud, sending every experience through my head from pain to confusion. But the loudest was fear.

I woke up screaming myself, sobs wracking my body. I was a complete mess after the last scream: a sound I never wanted to hear again. I tried to calm down, as it was the middle of the night, but I just couldn't. Nico… Poor Nico. I tried to throw the blankets off me to get some fresh air. It was only then did I realize someone was in the room.

"Percy, calm down. What's wrong? Is it your leg, or a dream?" Annabeths concerned voice whispered.

"A nightmare," I sobbed, barely audible through tears.

"Shh- it's ok," she cooed, very unlike Annabeth. Then again, sobbing this hard was _very _unlike me. "Wanna' tell me what it was about?"

It took me a few minutes to come up with the strength to tell her. "Hades is torturing Nico. His face-" I flashbacked to the Nico's dying heart, which only made me shake harder with sobs. Annabeth brushed back my hair and kissed my forehead, just as my mother would have done. It calmed me down a little, leaning in her arms. And _guys _are supposed to be the strong ones. I quickly pulled myself together.

"Take your time, Percy. I can understand if you don't want to tell me. You seemed pretty… Shaken," Annabeth said softly.

Between cries, I told her about Nico and what Hades had said. I left the scream for last, since I hated it most. She looked worried, whether it was for me or Nico I didn't know.

"That will be for tomorrow morning," she murmured. "Are you hungry?"

My stomach growled, making me laugh a little. Annabeth smiled, and handed me a sandwich Mikayla must have brought.

"What time is it?" I said after a bite.

"2:15."

"How did you get in here?"

"I was sleeping… on the floor," she said embarrassed. It thrilled me. I finished the last bites of my sandwich.

"You sleep on my bed. I'll take ground," I offered.

"Your leg would feel like a board in the morning, Seaweed brain, "she warned.

"Will it cause any serious damage to me?"

"Well… no."

I carefully stepped off the bed, making sure not to hurt my leg. "Then I'm taking the ground." She tried to argue, but I wouldn't let her. After all she had done, she didn't deserve to take the ground. I did, though.

With 2 blankets, the ground, and Annabeth in the bed at my side, I was able to shake off the dream… for now.

"Goodnight Wise girl," I yawned.

She leaned down and pecked my cheek. "You're crazy, Seaweed brain."


	5. Chapter 5

6

**The Day of the crazy way to happy doctor and the Angry Gods**

Sun flowed into the cabin like a waterfall from the gods. Annabeth was still asleep, and she was right. My leg felt like a piece of ply wood, but it was alright. It didn't hurt as much as yesterday, so I didn't mind stiffness.

She was still asleep, curled up tightly in the blankets and just slightly snoring. I smiled slightly, then attempted to get up. My mom had bought crutches, but I didn't see how it could help me. The snapped bone was not by my foot, but above my knee. Crutches couldn't help me there, but they _could _help me get up.

I grabbed one and slid It on the ground so it got gripped to the floor. Once I had it stuck, I lifted myself up with my fine leg. I was up, and so happy I could laugh. With caution and one crutch, I dragged my leg to the cabin door, and went outside.

My thigh pulsed heavily, but I ignored it. I hadn't been outside in forever, and it felt great. Then I remembered my nightmare. I had to tell Chiron, but how I was getting to him was a mystery to me.

I hobbled over to the pine tree, magic less but none the less special. He wasn't there, but I was tired by then. I went just outside the camp boundaries, and sat down leaning on the tree trunk. I didn't even remember falling asleep.

"Percy, honey, come on." My mom said, shaking me gently.

"Morning mom," I smiled. She had a guilty look on her face. "What's wrong?"

"Percy, me and Chiron were talking. We agreed to send you to a normal doctor, just to get you a cast. You won't have to wear it all that long, just until we get your bone straight and normal," I was about to object when Blackjack landed right next to us.

_Morning Boss! Your better!_

"Yeah," I said to Blackjack. "Uhh- what's up."

_I'm supposed to give you a ride to the road over there. The car to the doctor is there._

I grumbled a little, but I knew I had no choice.

"Mom, I need to talk to Chiron afterwards."

"Why?" she asked. I wasn't going to tell her now, but I didn't want to lie.

"Later," I said. She eyed me curiously, and then helped me get on to Blackjack for the quick ride. Within 5 minutes, I was in the passenger seat of a BMW M3, riding to the doctors.

"What am I going to tell him happened?" I couldn't say a 13 year old cut my leg, but it was for my own good. I would be sent to a mental hospital for that.

"You are going to say…" she mumbled to herself.

"How about I was surfing, and I hit a rock or something." I suggested. My mom smiled.

"Perfect. Now, what do you need to tell Chiron?"

I had dreaded this question. "Well, I had a nightmare… About Nico,"

"Oh?"

"Hades is hurting him for helping me." I left out the scream and the ending part with Annabeth. I could feel the blood rushing to my cheeks as I remembered last night. Lucky for me, my Mom had her eyes glued to the road.

"I expect you are going to find him?" She said, a little sad.

"Yes, once I can."

"Well- just – be careful."

"I always try to be. Things just don't always get done when you play it safe," I reminded her. "If I had played it safe my whole life, I probably would have no idea camp half-blood even existed."

"And that's a bad thing?" she said under her breath. I pretended not to hear her.

"Are we going to an actual hospital?" I asked.

"Yes. Is that a problem?"

"I don't know. I haven't been to one in forever."

"Well I have a fake letter that says just to give you a cast, so no X-ray's or anything."

"Why couldn't we just have casted it at camp?" I complained.

She smiled. "No one knew how to cast something like that. I promised to learn it today."

"Great," I mumbled.

We got to the hospital all too soon. I sat in an awkward position, my leg positioned weirdly on the ground. Some people glanced, other stopped and stared.

"How did you do that?" One old lady asked me. I shifted nervously in my seat.

"Surfing, why?" I said defensively.

"No need to snap at me boy. It's just you're sitting at the edge of your seat, and your right thigh looks diagonal." I looked down to notice she was right. My thigh was bent in the middle like a thirty degree angle. Not that I was ever good at math.

I fidgeted nervously as my Mom filled out a pile of papers. I was convinced they had to use 50 whole trees to get that much paper. Then, after what seemed like hours of papers and staring eyes, the front desk called my name.

"Perseus Jackson!" I got up reluctantly, then lumbered with my mom to the room. The smiling doctor was there, looking kind of creepy.

"Hello, Percy! Now, what happened to you?" He said as though he seemed excited to hear.

"I was surfing, and I hit a rock with my thigh." I said as my mom handed him a note.

"Just a cast? No X-ray or medication?" My mom nodded. "Ok then. What color Percy: blue or black?"

"Uhh- blue." It reminded me of the ocean, Tyson, and Poseidon. I smiled at the thought when the doctor cleaned my leg, removing the bandage on my thigh.

"Sharp rock," he muttered, looking at the stitches. I just nodded.

He started putting cotton all over my thigh, then covered that in blue fiberglass cloth. It started to get really warm, but not uncomfortable. Thankfully, that was over fast, and I was free to leave. I wanted to run out of there, but that would be impossible

With 2 crutches and a straight and painful leg, I got back into the car. "I do not like doctors," I announced as my mom laughed. "He was way too happy for someone who observes injuries all day."

"Now I'm just a mortal, so don't take my word for it, but I think that may have been Apollo!" I gave my mom a doubtful look, then tried to remember his face. I guess it _could _have been him, but not likely.

Blackjack gave me and my mom a ride all the way back to my Chirons cabin. I still had to tell him about Nico and Hades.

"Welcome back," he smiled. "I see the cast helped. Feeling alright?"

"Perfect," I said, returning the smile. "But I need to tell you about a nightmare I had." I repeated my nightmare for the 3rd time, shuddering as I told him about the scream and the black fire. I still left Annabeth out.

"You need to find him. A god should never hurt a hero, especially not one of such a close bloodline. You and Annabeth only again, and you will go soon," Chiron said determined. I agreed fully with him, too. I had to help Nico. It was my fault he was being hurt in the first place.

Annabeth came running in, panting. "Percy, I- well – come on!" She said. I glanced apologetically at my mom and Chiron, then hobbled after Annabeth into the fighting ring.

"You don't expect me to fight, do you?" I said doubtfully.

"No! Mrs. O'Leary is trying to find you, but we won't let her out!"

"We as in…" The whole Athena cabin was trying to calm down my hellhound, who was running about wildly. I smiled, feeling hugely needed. Mrs. O'Leary spotted me, then nearly plowed through 5 of the kids to get to me. She ran right over, and bathed me in saliva. Right now, did I wish I could have had the power to keep myself dry from this. I loved Mrs. O'Leary, but not her greetings. "Down," I laughed. She reluctantly sat, licking Annabeth on the way down. Annabeth gave me an _if-that-dog-licks-me-again-I'm-gonna'-kill-her_ looks. I couldn't help but laugh a little.

"Seaweed brain," she warned. My laughing came to an abrupt stop.

"Why didn't you guys grab a satyr or something?" I asked. The whole cabin exploded.

"They hate Hellhounds!"

"-Probably wouldn't have done it anyway!"

"They are always too busy!" With all the demigods being claimed, satyrs were needed everywhere.

"And," Annabeth added, "It's _your dog._" Couldn't argue with that point. I ran my fingers through her ragged black fur as the whole of the Athena cabin left but Annabeth.

"Sorry," I mumbled as they walked by. Some just glared, others smiled.

"A cast?" Annabeth said surprised.

"Defiantly not my idea, trust me. But it makes it hurt less."

"Ok then. Want to walk to the beach?" I beamed at her.

"Of course! I haven't been there since… " I changed my sentence, "I can't even remember enjoying myself there." I _had _been there recently, but that was far away form fun. More towards crazy.

"Then hurry up!"

The second I got there, I felt better. "Can I go in the water?" I asked her eagerly. I didn't want to just leave her on the sand, but I _had _to go in the water.

"She frowned, and my hopes died down a little. "I thought that cast was supposed to stay… dry… Oh yeah. Never mind,"

"So… Can I go?"

"Yea, but I'm not coming with you." I was a little reluctant to go without her.

"Are you sure? I could keep you dry with me."

"No. You'll just end up attracting sharks and going far out. Now go: enjoy yourself." She said with a fake smile. I knew I couldn't force her in, so I dropped my crutches and hopped in by myself.

_Dry_, I thought as I fell into the water. It surrounded me as I laughed, taking in all of the oceans beauty. And Annabeth was right: I couldn't help but swim out far, and bring some sharks with me.

The coral was ruffled, as though hit with a breeze. Fish swam happily around, careless and graceful to the beat of the current. I was home, even if I was alone. But Annabeth was back on shore, and I couldn't just leave her standing there. I looked around in the water for something to bring back to her. One shell, a pearl white one that spun into a point, stood out. I picked it up, and made my way back to shore.

Annabeth was standing at the shoreline, my crutches in hand. She was waiting for me. I got myself up, balancing on one foot until I was handed the crutches.

"Thank you," I said. "Oh, hey, I got you this shell 'cause… Well I had left you here just waiting… and I kinda' felt bad." She inspected the shell as though it were a building.

"Percy, it's perfect," she smiled."It's like I'm getting a piece of you, like this shell was yours until today."

All I heard was _I'm yours_. I pulled us both into the sand, laughing as we fell into it. "Happy birthday Annabeth," I whispered, pulling myself closer to her.

"I almost forgot," she mumbled. "April 14th."I kissed her once.

"And are you having a party? Or are you mine?" I asked.

"No party as far as I-"

"ANNABETH!" A voice came out of nowhere, but I knew who it was. I scrambled away from Annabeth fast as I could. "Percy, get away from my daughter," Athena shouted. "How dare you even test your luck that far Son of Poseidon! And my daughter!"

"I'm really-" I stuttered, but Annabeth shut me up with a look.

"Mom, it's ok. I'm 17 now, not 13." She said calmly.

"But this is a Son of Poseidon we're talking about! They should never be placed with one as wise as yourself, Annabeth. You may be the smartest of all my daughters!" Athena said, her eyes flashing angrily at me every few seconds.

"Thanks you mom, but I think I am safe," Annabeth tried to convince her.

"Not with him. He could get you killed, as he has almost done several times,"

"Not my fault," I mumbled. Annabeth and Athena both gave me the same furious look, then went back to arguing.

"But here I am, alive, so I'm staying with Percy," Annabeth shouted. Another voice mixed into the shouting.

"My son is not a threat to anyone!" My dad boomed, popping onto the scene in a Hawaiian flower shirt and khakis. _Very dangerous looking, dad_, I wanted to say, but it probably wasn't a good idea.

"Oh yes he is. See Annabeth: they don't even know they're bad," Athena growled.

"They aren't-"

"DON'T EVEN KNOW!" My dad turned to me, a storm brewing in his eyes. "Percy, I want you and Annabeth to leave."

"Don't tell any child of mine what to do!" Athena screamed.

"I'm not leaving," I said firmly. "You will hurt each other if I do."

"We're immortal. It doesn't matter if we hurt each other," They both argued at me. Wind bellowed past my face, whipping at the gods. The current started to shift, waves growing bigger and bigger with each crash.

"You will regret it later. How about you try something new. Say… Peace?" I suggested. Now even I was getting mad. The anger was spreading like a disease. I felt a familiar tug in my gut, but ignored it as Athena spoke.

"Child, leave. Let the gods take care of business, or you will be blamed for stopping us" She said forcibly calm as my dad nodded. The tug strengthened when it started to pour rain. Tidal waves where crashing just inches from us, tall as the trident my dad was holding. Athena, believing it was Poseidon causing all the waves, kicked my unsuspecting dad in the leg.

"STOP IT!" I yelled, when a giant wave as big as a gods normal size crashed in us. I had no idea I could do that, but the thrill of it only lasted a second. Me and my dad would be fine, but what about Annabeth?

I opened my eyes in the receding waters, flooding with relief as I saw Annabeth scramble up onto one of the sand dunes, shivering and wet.

"How dare you," Athena yelled, realizing it was me doing everything. My dad stared proudly at me, and I couldn't help but smile. I would probably be cursed in some way by Athena, but hey, my dad was proud of me. Maybe he could stop it.

With a holler at Poseidon, Athena was gone. As I relaxed, the rain and wind stopped, and the current started to flow normally. "That was amazing," My dad mumbled. "Your powers far exceed those of any demigod I have ever seen!" I was absolutely beaming now.

"Thanks I-"

"I will send you a letter, but for now I must go. Amazing…" He mumbled as I averted my eyes. Once he was gone, I climbed next to Annabeth. With a twitch of my hand, the water shot off her like a sprinkler. She stared at me for a moment.

"That was you who did everything? The wind and the rain and the waves?" She asked, her blond curls tossed around.

"Yup. Sorry for-"

"No it's ok. But your dad is right. That _is _a lot of power for one demigod."

"Is that a bad thing?" I asked. Gods forbid I have something else bad happened. I was still waiting for my leg to heal so I could start another bad journey!

"I just… With Thalia and everything… Zeus could turn you into coral or something…" I laughed a little nervously.

"Annabeth," I said, getting up, "I think I'll be alright. Have you seen my-" She laughed a little, handing me my crutches. "Now for the birthday girl," I smiled. I kissed her softly, fully aware that Athena was probably aiming a crazy owl at me right now. We stayed like that for a while, kissing. My eyes where closed as our lips brushed against each other, a feeling like an electric shock pulsing through me every time. But I liked it. I stroked her cheek once, then hummed a poem, one about the ocean my mom used to say to me when I was little.

I held a sea shell to my ear,  
And listened to its tale  
Of vessels bounding o'er the main  
And all the ships that sail.  
It sang of brilliant water flowers—  
The bright anemones  
That bloom beneath the ocean waves—  
Tossed in from seven seas.

Each time I harkens to this song,  
I hear the breakers moan,  
And fancy that a warning bell  
Rings from a lighthouse lone.  
No longer need I wish to go  
Where foam-capped billows swell,  
For I've an ocean of my own  
Within this pearly shell.

POEM BY Violet L. Cuslidge

There was more to the song, but that was the only part I could remember. "Thanks," she smiled when I finally stopped hugging her.

"Anytime, wise girl." We watched the sun set, then walked back to camp hand in hand. Mikayla saw us and screamed, noticing our interlocked hands and the obliviously giddy face I was wearing. The rest of the cabins just smiled and shook their heads, as though they expected it.

Once at dinner, when I had to sit alone at my table, I came to a realization. One that stunned me, made me drop my corn on the cob. Yes, _it was that shocking_.

I loved Annabeth. As much as the ocean, probably more. She was… Amazing.

Now all I had to do was tell her…


	6. Chapter 6

4

**Sorry for the wait... Been a bit busy with writing. So busy in fact that I forgot to upload the chapetr :] My brains a mess, but I like it that way.**

**And so another quest begins**

I had another dream that night. A ghost, one I recognized that made my heart leap, was comforting the trembling boy in the corner. They were in a cavern with no way out but the top, which of course was impossible to get to. Light was only in certain corners, dimmed by the darkness surrounding it. The ghost and the boy sat in the darkest corner, shut away from the world.

"It's ok. You did the right thing by helping Percy," Zoë was saying, her silhouetted form floating next to Nico. He looked so small, huddled in the corner of the stone cave like a kid with a sword. Small, scared, and trapped. "I'm sure Hades will realize that soon enough. You saved him, Nico."

"I know, but Hades will never care. You hear him every morning, _if only I could replace you with Bianca. I don't care if you're dead: great lot of helpfulness that would be," _Nico said, mocking Hades voice down to the cold endings he always had." _I can only hope that one day I will forget you even existed." _

"I think you are confused. You are his only living child, Nico. That has to count for something! I know he loves-"

"No he doesn't, Zoë!" Nico yelled. "He wouldn't hurt me if he loved me!" He displayed his arms out in front of him, upturned as though he were holding something. The skin was dark and burnt, trickles of blood running down the sides. Zoë went to look at them, but Nico pulled them back quickly. "You don't hurt the ones you love," he mumbled to a stricken Zoë. "He wouldn't hurt Bianca."

"You have no idea what your are saying," she whispered. "He- he has to love you a little. You wouldn't be alive if he didn't."

"No. No one loves me. I hope Zeus burns Hade-"The same black fire erupted around Nico as Zoë screamed. The scene changed: I was in a room with only Hades. Nico appeared in the black fire, gasping for fresh air.

"You want Zeus to what?" Hades asked quietly.

"I want Zeus to – uh, hit you with a… a lightning bolt," Nico said under his ragged breathing. Hades laughed, the sound cold and hostile. Fear flashed in Nico's eyes, and I wanted so badly to help him. Or at least to wake up so I didn't have to witness what was about to happen.

"A lightning bolt? Well it just so happens that I have one," Hades smile was malicious. "A small one, but nonetheless fun to throw. I wonder how it feels when it hits you… I surly don't want to know. But you might…" He said, toying with the bolt carelessly. _How did he get that?_ I thought. There was no way Zeus would willingly give up one of them...

"NO," Nico yelled, wheeling around. But Hades was much faster. With a flick of his wrist, the bolt went careening into Nico. It hit him with a buzz and a blinding light. Then, everything went silent. The blinding lights started to fade, but the buzzing of electricity stayed. I had to blink several times, black dots lingering in my eyes from the brightness of the light.

Nico was on the ground, shaking as though he was having a seizure. Hades observed the quaking figure of his son for a moment, as though speculating a murder. "Huh. So _that's_ how it feels to get hit with a lightning bolt. Well I sure don't want that happening to me." After a minute or so, he got bored of mocking his son. With a snap of his fingers, Nico was shadow traveled back into the cave. Zoë was waiting, a square of ambrosia in her ghostly hand.

"I found this above. Eat it now, Nico… What happened?"

"I- I – He hit me," Nico could barely talk around the shivering he was doing. "I can't b-believe he actually _hit _me!" He ate the square of ambrosia, and calmed down a little, still slightly vibrating.

"What did he hit you with?" Zoë asked softly.

"He hit me with a l-lightning bolt," Nico said. I could hear the depression in his voice, as though he truly believed he wasn't loved. Nico dragged himself to the black corner, then crumpled back against the wall.

"Are you ok?"

"… No."

It was then that I woke up. I wanted to jump out of bed, grab Annabeth, and save Nico now. Convinced I could, I jumped out of bed.

I never thought I'd say this, but thank the gods for that cast. If I hadn't of worn it, my leg would have bent right over from springing off the bed. I tripped around the cabin, reaching my crutches and went hastily outside to find Chiron.

The moon lit my path, shedding just enough light that I could see where I was going. I went quietly and hastily, trying to wake no one up. Finally, I reached the dim shadow of Chiron's cabin, all the lights on. I bent down and grabbed a rock. Hesitating just a little, I tossed it at the door. As though her were waiting, the door flung open and I was rushed inside.

"I expect you had a nightmare?" Chiron asked.

"Yes. And you?" I returned the question. Chiron looked jumpy and nervous, characteristics he almost never held.

"I did have one. About Nico. It made me believe that you should go now."

"What did you see?" I said curious. Chiron told me about how Nico got the cut arms.

"Nico was about to shadow travel back to us, when Hades pulled out a sword. It was so fast- Blood just randomly splattered," Chiron explained after I told him my dream. "You need to speak to Rachel, then go. How is your leg?"

"Pretty much fine," I lied. It didn't hurt a lot, but it wasn't _fine_.

"Good. We will Iris message her now."

"Now? It's only like- 1 A.M!"

"This is urgent," Chiron mumbled. He turned on a fountain he had, and threw a coin into it."Rachel Dare, New York. "

The water shimmered until we looked upon Rachel, walking in circles in her room. After a moment, she looked up.

"Oh!" She said aloud, her red hair bushing around her face. "Hi Percy. Chiron. Just give me a moment," she sighed, knowing why we had called without even a question. I felt bad for her, having random Oracle calls in the middle of the night.

Rachel closed her eyes and started to tremble. Suddenly, her eyes flung open with a glow of light.

"_A dangerous quest you aim to succeed_

_2 people trying to save something worthy as a weed_

_Under the depths of a fiery hell_

_Hellhounds guard where you will dwell_

_A traitor gone good will help you out _**[Can Anyone Quess who that is *wink wink*]**

_But fill one's mind with worry and doubt."_

Chiron looked at me curiously, _waiting_ for a reaction. "Thanks Rachel," I mumbled, knowing she was asleep anyway. According to the message, we were saving someone who was not worth it (that made me mad), were going to be approached by hellhounds (my _favorite _little puppies), and that someone untrustworthy will help us (only one person would fit the slot in my mind). "When do you want us to leave?" I asked Chiron.

"As soon as you're ready, we will get you a ride to the underworld by train. It will take 3 days to get across the country."

"What about my mom?" How was I going to tell her I was going on another quest with a broken femur? No mother would want to hear that, and hardly any ever did. In fact, I doubt any mother had to experience what my mom did every week. Guess that happens when your son is a kid of the big three.

"Well- um…" Chiron stuttered. He looked distraught.

"What?"

"This would just crush her, but do you have to tell her?" I blinked several times. I had just gotten back to being normal Percy, and I already had to make a hard decision.

On the one hand, my mom had just gotten me back and mostly healthy. If I just disappeared, she would worry and be angry, not a good combination. I hated putting her through that. And what made it worse was that it would be in purpose. On the other hand, saving Nico could not wait: not even till morning. My Mom would want me to stay home, safe with her. _But_, she probably would also stand behind me in the idea to save Nico. Once I explained the situation to her, she would be fine… I hoped. Both choices had strict consequences, but one was a lot less harsh. I felt like such a terrible son, but Nico couldn't die. I could always apologize to my mom for making her worry, but I couldn't revive Nico if he died.

"I won't tell her," I said solemnly. "Can you wake up Annabeth and get Riptide? We are leaving now." Chiron nodded.

"I will explain to her the situation once you leave. Do not worry."

"Thanks," I mumbled as he left. _Don't worry_ were the most useless words I had ever heard, for they were never true. I had a great deal to worry about. Words couldn't comfort me, not now.

How were we supposed to steal Nico when Hades could just campfire him back at anytime? More importantly, how were we going to get to the underworld without Hades killing us? My mind was tangled in several complicated thoughts, none of them making sense. Suddenly, my blow up of thoughts was interrupted.

"So we're leaving now?" Annabeth asked. She had a bag slung over her shoulder, looking a little excited. "I have food, water, nectar and ambrosia, my Yankees cap and the shield Tyson gave you."

"Good. It can't wait any longer," I said as she tossed me my sword.

"And your leg…"

"I'll be fine," I promised. "So Chiron said we shoul go by train-"

"I have a faster plan," Annabeth smiled, giving me a momentary flashback. When I had gone to my first capture the flag, Annabeth had said that. _Athena always has a plan_. The brief memory made me grin, despite the problems we were soon to face. We went outside into the darkness, parting ways with Chiron. I tried not to think about my mom, thinking I was safe asleep.

I looked around. We were passing the red walls of the Ares cabin when I realized I had no idea where we were going. "Care to explain to me this plan of yours?"

"Mrs. O'Leary. She can shadow travel right into the underworld, so we should have no problem with that part of this quest." I hadn't even thought of that, but it made sense as she said it.

"Wow you're smart," I mumbled. She just smiled as we went to the fighting arena.

Mrs. O'Leary wasn't even excited as we walked in. It was as though she knew what was going on, and she didn't like it,

"Hey Mrs. O'Leary," I smiled wistfully. "We need your help." She let out a quiet bark. "Can you get us to the underworld?" She ran towards us and lied down. I would take that as a yes.

With a spare ladder we found (who knows _what _that was for), I climbed onto the hellhound. Firmly holding onto her coarse and slightly dirty fur, everything got cold. It was like being blind all over again except this time; I knew I would eventually regain my site. We seemed to stop in the darkness for a few seconds, then with a pop we were in the middle of the barren black wasteland. The underworld in all of its glory was still a trash ridden place. I hated it.

Mrs. O'Leary passed out into a deep sleep the moment Annabeth and I slid off of her. I patted her once before we went.

"_A dangerous quest you aim to succeed_

_2 people trying to save something worthy as a weed_

_Under the depths of a fiery hell_

_Hellhounds guard where you will dwell_

_A traitor gone good will help you out_

_But fill one's mind with worry and doubt… _where are there _not _hellhounds in the underworld?" I complained as we headed in any direction.

"I know a lot are positioned in the crater of Avernus **[This is supposedly some lake to Hades... I made it a crator... You can Google it]**. That is near the entrance to the underworld, but I didn't know people would be kept there. Only those Hades wants eternally lost." Annabeth mumbled.

"What do you mean, _eternally lost_? It doesn't sound good…"

"And it isn't. Hades places spirits there who he wants not tortured, but confused. Normally the spirits who try to escape the underworld get put there. From the outside, it's normal. Once you go into Avernus, you get lost. You can never get out. They all just wander around, some not even sure that they are even lost."

"So like the Labyrinth times ten?"

"Exactly. I just didn't think living people could be stuck there. If we do end up having to go in, we will have to mark our way out very secretly. If other spirits noticed, they could escape. Hades would have a huge reason to add is to his trapped spirits collection then. Do- do you really think Nico could be there?"

"Well he is the child of Hades," I reminded her. Normally, that would have been a good thing. It wasn't so great right now.

"And do you think Hades hates him? How could anyone hate their own child?" Annabeth whispered.

"I… I think Hades is just mad I'm, alive. If Nico hadn't stepped in, I'd be living down here," the thought sent a shiver down my spine. I pulled riptide out, just in case, and juggled holding it while balancing myself with crutches. After about a minute, I ditched one of the crutches.

Annabeth gave me a confused look. "Well, I only really need one to walk. The other hand is for my sword." I explained. She shook her head.

"We better not get attacked by anything. I can't protect you and me at the same time."

"I don't need protecting," I huffed.

"Well you did last time," She pointed out, motioning to my cast. I shut up after that, knowing anything I said to her after that would come out mean. I didn't want to be mean to her anytime, so I tried to be nice.

"You're right: I did. I'm glad it's you protecting me," I said. A smile lit up her face, and she ran to hug me. But it only lasted a moment, as we had more important things to think about. Still, it made me pretty happy, even in the darkest corner in the world… the universe.

Slowly, we approached the giant crater in the ground. Several hellhounds lined the corners, growling at the spirits who got near the exit. It looked as though a fog had descended on Avernus; so many spirits were floating in meaningless circles. If we let all of those out, New York would turn into the true meaning of ghost town, and I couldn't have that happen to my favorite city.

"How are we supposed to find him?" I whispered. We could not let a hellhound hear us, or that would be the end of all of us.

"We have to go in."

"And getting past the dogs…" She handed me the Yankee cap.

"Go into Avernus, take off the cap, throw it back out, and I'll come in. If these dogs are as into their job as they look, they will only be watching the spirits inside the crater. Then, we look." I nodded, then put on the cap.

A problem arose instantly. My crutch was still visible, balancing perfectly on the ground. With a sigh, I dropped it and hopped forward. I felt as though I were giving myself to the dogs as I tried to go over quietly. When I was just feet away, I turned to a crawl. It was quieter, and I could go into the crater easier.

With paws the size of my back lined up against me, I lowered myself over the edge, having no idea how far down I was going to have to go. Once I was completely hanging over, I fell. Lucky for me, it was only about a foot. Quickly, I threw the cap out. That's when the dogs noticed me. To them, I was just a spirit too close to escaping.

The howled furiously at me, jerking forward as though they were about to attack. But they knew better than to do it. A few steps in here, and they were lost for good. A small cloud of dust flew up from the ground next to me. Annabeth took off the cap, and grinned at me. "Did you mean to distract them that much?"

"Uh-"

"Just say yes," she laughed. Then we got serious. "Percy, I am going to make a line in the dirt. That is how we know where we are going."

"Great," I shouted over the continuous barking. "Now we get to look through all these dead people for the one living one?"

"Yup."

"Like a needle in a haystack," I mumble. Only a million times harder, and a million times more important.

**I forgot a disclaimer!! So here it is: I do not own any of the character, however I do own the story**

**Oh and no one wants Nico dead, right? Cause' I could kill him off... **


	7. Chapter 7

9

**I Do not own Percy Jackson, but I do own the story... Well that was boring. Anyway, I felt like writing, so I think this is one of my longest chapters! **

**To answer someones review, this does take place after the last book. I cannot thank everyone enough for giving your opinions on my writing. You have no idea how happy I get when one of you even just say something like update. So, to everyone who reviewed, read the chapters, or even is just reading this, you are the most super special awesome amazingly wonderful people the world has ever seen (at least in my world). Give yourself a piece of cake, unless you prefer pie... or a cookie. If anyone asks, just tell that a random fanfic writer said that you are the most super special awesome amazingly wonderful person the world has ever seen. They will understand**

**So all the people who commented (thank You!!!! I love reading comments) said not to kill off Nico, so I didn't... However, no one said I couldn't make h****im insane :} (insert evil laughter here.)**

I swatted at the thick mist that surrounded us. The spirits were curling around our arms and legs, making everything seem cold and lifeless. _Maybe that's because everything _is _cold and lifeless_, my mind told me. We shouted Nico's name into the clouds without any reply, and constantly looked behind us to make sure our line in the dirt didn't disappear. It was bad enough one of us was lost, let's not make it all three.

"So… What if he's not in here?" I suggested. "Are we sure we have a way out?"

"Don't say it out loud!" Annabeth nearly shouted. In a much quieter tone, she continued. "I'm sorry, it's just no spirit can know we have the way out. Not all of these clouds are spirits, but a lot are."

"Well shouldn't Nico like- stick out?" After all, he was the only alive one besides us. If he was in the Avernus crater. ..

"I thought so too. But the ghosts might be hiding him. Or he could be knocked out. Or Hades might have him with him-"

"Ok, so he might not stick out. No need to list the scenarios." I didn't like hearing about how hard this was going to be. It was like listening to a story you had heard tons of times.

In fact, I had played out some scenarios in my head. What if Nico was already dead? Hades could have tried to trade his soul for Bianca. I wouldn't put it past him. The thought made me flinch, so I pushed it out of my mind.

What if we were in the wrong place? It would take a while to make it out, get past the dogs, and think of another place that Nico could possibly be. And to add on to all of that, my leg kind of hurt, and we were going to end up needing to sleep sometime.

I was reminded of a quote, one Chiron had told me recently. _Don't be pushed by your problems. Be led by your dreams._

For a demigod, sayings like that were all to true. I wouldn't even be looking for Nico if I didn't believe my dreams. Most of the time, quotes like that were made by demigods.

"So Percy… What happened in your most recent dream?" Annabeth asked. She sounded so much like a psychiatrist, I laughed.

"Well it started out in this empty looking cave. It didn't look anything like where we are looking now… Anyway, he started to insult Hades. Hades heard him, and- uh – hit him with a lightning bolt. A small one, but it was still a bolt. How do you think he got it?"

Annabeth was pale, but she managed to answer. "He probably stole it from Zeus after the whole war. Zeus had already thrown a ton of lightning bolts; he probably lost count of how many he should have left. Hades could take one just in case, and no one would notice. The only reason Zeus didn't hear this one go off was because it was underground."

"Oh," I said, sounding a lot like an idiot. "So- umm… Will he be okay after something like that?"

"I think so. You got hit with a bigger lightning bolt, right? And that happened, like, a couple days ago, and you're fine." She said hurriedly, waving her cap around her to clear some of the underworld smoke.

"Well yeah, but I was stacked up on nectar and ambrosia. I doubt Hades has given Nico as much as a tissue for a nose-bleed."

"So your real question was will he be okay without anything but his sword? My answer is…"

"Zoë was there too!" I said, the memory rushing back. "She gave him a piece of ambrosia I think. Well that should help I guess."

"Any more memories you want to randomly blurt out?" Annabel said with a smirk. "I thought Zoë was made into a star?"

"I don't know, but I'm sure it was her. What other ghost would even help Nico?"

"Well his dad is Hades. He probably knows tons of ghosts."

"Sure, but would any of them really be willing to help him?" That got her.

"Well no… I guess not."

I smiled, wishing silently that I had one of the crutches. I was getting worn out by having to lug around the cast all day, dragging it on the ground like a dead weight. It burned from all the walking, pulsing as though it had its own heartbeat. "Do we have any extra ambrosia?" I asked shamefully. I knew it was all for Nico, but how were we even supposed to get to him if I could barely walk?

"Yea, I figured you would say that. But you are healing fast, proving even more about what your dad said." She said, handing me the brownie flavored ambrosia square. I racked my brain, trying to remember that last important thing he had said.

_Your powers far exceed those of any demigod I have ever seen!_ Could healing really prove a sign of power? I didn't think so, so I told Annabeth. "Anybody can heal fast. That has nothing to do with power."

She eyed me skeptically. "Well it sort of does. But no need to argue now. We're surrounded by dead people, and I don't like it, so let's get going."

"I see dead people," I muttered, trying to make the mood light. It didn't really work. Out of the blue, a thought struck my head, "Can we talk to these people… spirit… things?"

"Yes, but nothing guarantees they will answer you back. And even if they do, it could be a lie."

"Uhh- hi!" I said enthusiastically to the mist around me. "I'm Percy Jack-"

"Don't say your full name," Annabeth hissed. "If one spirit knows, then by extension, Hades knows." I nodded.

"Anyway, I'm Percy. Any of you want to introduce yourselves?"

The mist around me swirled, but no answer was said.

"Ok then, that was a fail," Annabeth murmured. I flashed her a look before continuing.

"That's fine; you don't have to tell me. But please answer this. Have you seen a living boy around here? He probably talked to you guys. Was most likely hurt?" This time, an answer was spit from the mist.

"Yes, the child was here." The voice was wispy and soft, more like a feather than someone's voice.

"Thank you so much," I smiled and spun once. After all, the spirit who answered me could have been behind me. "One more thing. Is he still here?"

"The ruler took him again." The voice said, the words fading at the end.

"Thanks!" I turned around to face Annabeth.

"A natural son of Hades," she mocked me, pretending to the mist.

"ME?! NO- never will be, so glad I'm not. I mean… No offense to Nico or anything-"

"Shut your mouth before you get into any real trouble seaweed brain," She smirked. "It's your turn to continue the line in the dirt."

I had forgotten all about that. With a sigh, I thought of something else. Instead of getting my fingers filled with underworld, I could just drag my cast. After all, I would be doing it anyway. But _now_, it was useful.

"Never thought I'd say this, but you are so lucky to be wearing that cast."

"This is just a well deserved present for all I've been through," I smiled.

"Yeah, right." We spent the rest of that day calling into the human smoke for Nico. Not once did we get a response, or even did we hear Nico come back from his apparent trip with Hades. After all the searching, it finally came to the part of the day that even I was dreading. _Nighttime_.

Believe it or not, even the underworld gets darker at night. It goes from the black where you can still tell where you're going, to the _did I just go blind _kind of black. There was no way we were walking in that. "Is this where we are sleeping?" I asked.

"Yes. But I'm afraid we didn't pack anything to sleep on… Are you hungry?" Annabeth said, pulling out 2 small bags food.

"Very," I sighed, sinking gratefully to the cold floor. It wasn't quite a bed, but it was a lot better than walking. Annabeth threw a bag of food, apparently forgetting about the fact that it was pitch black. It hit me right in the face. "Nice throw!"

"Nice catch." We were both mad after a full day of no success. Plus, we weren't even sure if he was in the crater. All the searching we had done could have been for nothing.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled, snacking on the food. I got no answer. "Annabeth?" Everything got quiet. I had a mini heart attack, like the kind you get when you lose something. Just above the quietness, I heard slow steady breathing. She was just asleep.

I laid down in some awkward position, and when I did finally manage to sleep, my slumber was plagued with dreams. I saw my mom figuring out I wasn't at camp, which made me want to run home. I felt like the worst son in the world, putting her through that. I quickly tried to forget that dream, and fell back asleep.

The next dream took place on mount Olympus. Zeus was lounging on his throne, talking very intently to my dad. Both faces wore masks of confusion. "Could that be a bad thing?" Zeus said.

"Well it could be. We don't want mortals being hit with tidal waves. I've got to show him how to control his powers." I laughed a little at how cheesy that sounded. On all of the Sunday cartoons I used to watch, I must have heard that line a million times. _With great power comes great responsibility blah blah blah_. I knew it was important, I was just sick of hearing it. I stopped thinking and turned back to their conversation.

"Even then, I am uncomfortable with a demigod having that much power. Could he possibly become a god?"

"No," Poseidon said airily. "Percy doesn't want that. He wants to be with his friends. Give me a week or so, and I'll figure something out." I didn't even wake up before I was sucked into my next dream. I think everyone reading this could guess about the next one.

"Real pain is not just physical," Hades purred, pacing around near his throne. "It has to hit you in the mind as well. Tell me Nico, do you feel as though you are crazy?" Nico was on his knees, his head down as though he were being put to shame. Without looking up, he nodded yes. "So you admit to it? Well than you can't be crazy. No one crazy really knows they are until someone tells them. If you already knew, you must not have been crazy. That means I need to try something else. Any suggestions?"

"I thought you were doing pretty well before," Nico muttered. Hades glared at him, but Nico still had his eyes set to the ground. If I knew him, he was looking at the ground because he didn't want to give in. He didn't want Hades too feel as though he had won. It reminded me of… well me.

"You are in no position to act smart. Unless you enjoy pain, I would recommend you not do that."

"Sure, whatever," He grumbled. "Uh… You could put me back in that cave…"

"No, you just sat in the corner," Hates muttered. "Nothing about that screams torture. How about… Sound."

"… Sound? Alright," Nico said slowly. What kind of torture could you possibly do with sound? I didn't know, and I really wasn't looking forward to finding out. Nonetheless, my dream continued. We were back in the cave, alone. Not even Zoë was there. I watched as Nico appeared in the black fire, his back to me. He kept staring at the ceiling, as though he expected his torture to come from there. Finally, he lied down on the stone floor to sleep.

Now I was really confused. I was in a dream, watching someone sleep… How was this important, and why wouldn't I wake up? As I tried to force myself awake, an ear crushing noise blasted from inside the cave. Nico jumped startled, then turned around. His face had deep lines of stress and sleep in them. He looked as though he had just pulled a week of no sleep, food, or clean water.

Shaking the noise out of my head, I watched him curl back onto the ground. Again, the sound screeched like tire wheels. It was then that the meaning of sound torture suddenly became clear. Every time Nico tried to sleep, rest, or even just be quiet, the noise would sound, breaking all his thoughts and waking him up.

Suddenly, sound torture didn't sound as good as it had before.

"Percy, come on! We need to keep looking," Annabeth complained.

"Sound torture," I mumbled, opening my eyes. "Hades is putting Nico through sound torture." Annabeth sat and thought for a minute before getting up.

"That is to our advantage. Hopefully, we will be able to hear it. Now please, don't move. Stay quiet so we can hear." I stayed on the ground, straining my ears for any loud sound. It wasn't hard either, since the crater is so quiet. We both heard a sound like gun shots ringing in the distance.

"Come on!" I said, hopping over to where I had heard the noise. This quest was going better that I thought it would.

"Are you sure this is where you heard it?" Annabeth said after 5 minutes of speed walking and jumping.

"Well… Yeah. I could have sworn-"

"Percy," Annabeth whispered. She had a terrible look on her face.

"Wh- what?"

"We forgot to mark our path."

"But my cast should have been dragging on the ground," I argued.

"You were hopping."

"So… We're lost in the middle of a crater with spirits?"

"Yes. " I took a deep breath, trying not to panic. Right now, if I had to panic, it would be about Nico.

"That problem is for later," I muttered, slowing down to a normal walk. The sound of drums played near us, snapping us back into reality. I rushed forward through the smoke. It got thinner and thinner until finally, there was no smoke left. "We are still in the crater, right?"

"I think so… Look!" Annabeth said, pointing. I followed her hand to several pits in the ground. Pits that could be leading to a cave…

The sound of a car crash scrambled my thoughts. Apparently Annabeth remembered what we were doing. "Nico," She yelled into the air. I helped her until our voices echoed across the whole vast plane.

"It's no use," I realized. "He probably thinks we are just another noise."

"Then let's look," Annabeth said, grabbing me hand and dragging me to the nearest hole.

"Nico?" I shouted into it. My only reply was the darkness, so we moved on. We had to find Nico, but things weren't really looking that good. My leg kind of hurt, the sounds had randomly stopped, and there were about 75 more ditches we needed to check. But it would be worth it… At least I hoped It would be.

At the 30th hole, we heard a small noise. It sounded like flames being whipped, soft and fast. With a jump, we both looked down into the darkness. "Nico?" Annabeth asked the ground. It replied, but not with what I had expected.

"Nick-o… Who's Nick-o?" The voice laughed. It was defiantly Nico who had said that, but he sounded kind of off. Without even thinking, Annabeth grabbed her bag and jumped down.

"Annabeth!" I yelled.

"I'm fine. You come too!" Trying to forget about my leg, I slipped into the ground. Falling was easy; landing was the hard part. With a smack, I hit the ground on my side after falling about 20 ft. Groaning and annoyed, I got up.

"You're like a bird," Nico chuckled. "But ya' can't fly. Poor birdie."

"What?... I'm not a bird-" The noises started again. Annabeth screamed, I jumped about a foot in the air, and Nico just shook, continuing his talk about flightless birds.

"Is he … uh… a bit out of it?" I whispered to Annabeth. His eyes were glazed over, always staring at one place. They had black bags under them, barely visible against the other bruises on his face. Hades had tortured him, no doubt about it.

"You know, I tried to get out of here once. But I had as much luck as you, birdie. See look," Nico rambled on, showing us scrapes he had on his arms. "After that, noises sound whenever I think of something! When the noise is over, I forget! Amazing!"

"Yes, he is crazy," Annabeth said. "But I think it's from lack of sleep. Nico?"

" I really hate the color blu- Yes?"

Annabeth dug in our bag, pulling out a square of ambrosia. "Are you hungry?"

"Oh gods yes," He whispered. I watched as his line of sight finally focused on something other than the wall.

"Eat this as I look at you, ok?" She said softly. Nico took the ambrosia, studied It for a moment, than ate it.

"Well it tastes like chocolate," He smiled. It amazed me how he could smile even when being tortured. But I figured it was just because he had no idea he was crazy.

Annabeth looked at his arms, poking softly at parts with bruises. Nico whimpered once or twice, but otherwise stayed quiet and content staring at me.

"What?" I asked.

"You look nothing like a bird," He speculated.

"Well yeah, 'cause I'm a person."

"Still… Ouch," He said, still staring at me.

"Your wrist hurts?" Annabeth asked.

"Mmm Hmm. My dad hit me, but it's ok! The chocolate made it feel better."

"Good," Annabeth smiled despite the background story.

"Do you know who we are?" I asked.

"Kind of… I remember you from somewhere. Of course, it would be hard to forget a flightless bird who looks like a human."

I frowned. "I am a person. I just fell, ok. What does your dad say to you, and how long have you been awake?"

"He says a lot of things. A lot of them are about real pain. I guess I can't feel real pain… Anyway, he tells me I'm worthless and bad. And I haven't slept in… well I don't know," He said cheerily, continuing to only stare at my face. I swear, if it had been a staring contest, he could have beaten anyone. "Oh wait, are you-"

An explosion sounded in the room. Everyone flinched until the sound passed. "What were you saying?"

"Well I forget!" Nico laughed. I hadn't ever heard him laugh as much as he did. And he continued to laugh, even when the black flames burst out of the ground all around him. He was gone, somewhere with Hades.

"He needs sleep," Annabeth said.

"Is he hurt bad anywhere?"

"I think he broke some parts in his wrist, and he's cut and bruised, but otherwise just crazy."

"_Just crazy_? He thought I was a bird. And the way he just stared…"

"Sleep," Annabeth repeated. "Without it you can go crazy, as Nico demonstrated to us. When we get him back to camp, he'll be able to sleep. By the way, once he comes back, I'm gonna' need you."

"… For what?"

"I need you to get enough water here to float us to the top so we can climb out," She explained. But how was I supposed to get water from a cave? No shells, no coral, not even a pebble. We were in the driest cave in the underworld, and I had to get water. Yay. "We have to do it before Hades knows we are here."

"I think he already knows," I said. There were only 3 living, mostly human things here. Hades could probably sense our presence, as living things aren't a normal occurrence where he is.

Annabeth frowned slightly. "You'd think if he knew we were here we'd be dead by now. _Unless _he thinks we'll be trapped down here too and die with Nico."

"That could be it. Then it technically wouldn't be his fault if we died… Well it would be his fault for Nico but not for you and me. The other gods couldn't get mad cause' it was our choice to go down here." Everything suddenly snapped into place. All but one thing. "Why does Hades want us dead?"

"It's probably something to do with power," Annabeth sighed. "He thinks that we could eventually overthrow him, and that can't happen."

"Why would I want to take over a place like this?"

"You may not want it, but Nico might."

"Oh, right. I forgot he feels totally comfortable around these people- spirit-ish things. Could he really bring down Hades?"

"With help, maybe.

"Help from who?"

"All the trapped spirits. You saw how much fog there was in the crater! Most of those were dead people, Percy." I thought about it, and shivered. I never really liked dead people. "They couldn't possibly be happy stuck in there. Nico would have thousands of soldiers by only offering freedom."

"Would you help him?" I asked. _Would I help him_?

"I- I couldn't," She whispered as I nodded my agreement. That would be counted as going against the gods, and since Athena and Zeus pretty much hated me, that wouldn't be a good idea. But would I really have the strength to just sit while I knew a friend was getting hurt? Especially if it were Nico, a kid who's father never really loved him? It seemed almost evil to not help him in that situation.

"Let's stop talking about this…" I suggested. "How much-"

"Spider!" Annabeth screamed, frantically stamping the floor as though she were dancing.

"Stop! Let me kill it," I shouted, rushing over. I searched the ground for the slightest movement, yet found nothing. Annabeth continued pounding the ground, a frantic look lighting up her eyes.

"Percy, kill it! Kill it now!"

" I will, but…Uh- where is it?" I said, looking up. I wasn't in the cave anymore, nor was Annabeth with me. I was back in what had been New York. Buildings where collapsed, cars crushed, and fires were burning freely in patches. It brought me back to the fight with Kronos, but everything was much quieter. It was a dead town, bodies strewn across cars and rubble. My mind instantly rushed to my parents, than to Annabeth.

"Hello?" I shouted. "Uh- Hades, is this a trick?" I asked, like he would ever answer me. I tried focusing on my feet, refusing to look at the faces of the deceased.

"Percy!" Someone shouted, forcing me to look up. My mom was leaning on a broken down bus, fires smoking aimlessly around her. I stumbled over, dodging fires and rubble with my cast still on.

"Mom, are you ok?" I asked, embracing her in a hug. "What happened?"

"H-hades happened. Once he got rid of Nico, he got rid of us," She whispered. "Percy, you have to kill Hades before he kills you."

"I will," I promised.

"Your Dad has a message for you," She said, pointing to a small piece of parchment on the cement. "Please read it now." The tone of her voice confused me. It went from soft and pained to almost robotic. Slowly, I proceeded over to the burnt piece of paper. It had on a thick layer of charcoal, covering my hands. Ignoring that, I opened the letter. It said one word; the one word that would strangle my mind.

_Goodbye_

The moment I finished reading it, I heard a sizzle behind me. It sounded like onions in a hot pan, not a noise I would expect to hear from a deserted town. Quickly, I turned around. The fires had climbed all over the bus, inching towards the engine. Inching towards the gas…

"Mom!" I screamed, going over as fast as I could. She held out her hand for me to grab, but I couldn't. It kept slipping, no matter how much I tried to hold on. The charcoal from the letter. The letter was why she would die. She couldn't die; I couldn't let her! "Mom," I started to sob when she refused to grab my hand. The air was choked with gasoline, sizzling even stronger and louder now. "Mom, let me help you!"

With a push, she sent me backwards. I stumbled till I was about 6 feet away, finally falling onto the ground. Her face was a mask of the one I knew so well. It was twisted with what I could only assume was fear. She let out a maniacal laugh as I sat stunned. This _couldn't _be her; she would have never done that. "Goodbye," She smiled, the last haunting words before the car exploded. I saw the flames before I heard anything, streaking across the bus like a wave. Despite my earlier thoughts, I screamed out to the woman… My mom… Whoever it was. She just waved, letting the fire consume her.

"You're not my mom," I whispered, wiping the tears from my ashen face. Why was I watching this woman die? Annoyed, I closed my eyes. I was not going to watch a complete stranger be cooked, especially not one who looked like my mom.

"Spi- Percy? Spiders… Where are the spiders?" Annabeth gasped. I opened my eyes, welcoming back the cave. It was much better than a human bonfire. I looked down at my hands, free of charcoal and cuts. It was all a dream. Rather, it was all a nightmare.

"Annabeth, I don't think those were real," I said slowly.

"But they were everywhere! I was surrounded by them, until I realized something. They were just fakes. I was still kind of scared," She said, looking ashamed," So I closed my eyes. When I opened them, I was here…"

"You saw spiders? You hate spiders, right?"

"Yes… I don't see how that-"

"Hades." I only needed to say one word, and she understood. Hades had forced us to see our worst nightmare, until we saw it was fake. He just wanted to see us suffer. Once we stopped, the fun was over, and he could return us to reality. I cursed him in my head, disrupted when Annabeth threw a piece of bread at me. "Thanks."

"Eat it slowly. We're both pretty shocked still, and eating too fast would probably hurt your stomach."

"Uh-" I had already finished my piece, but pretended to hear anyway.

"So… What did Hades torture you with?" Annabeth asked quietly. "You already know mine about spiders. It's only fair I get to know yours."

"Fairness has nothing-"

"Just do it," She sighed, interrupting my argument. Slightly annoyed, I told her all about the imposter, the note, and the explosion. I left out the crying and the fear; she didn't _really _need to know that. She nibbled on her bread thoughtfully, only pausing to ask questions.

"How long has it been? How long have we been in this cave?"

"My guess is as good as yours," I mumbled. We had no watches, no phones, heck, not even the sun to help us. "When you're really tired, just assume its night."

"How long has Nico been gone?"

"I think probably around an hour or two. Again, I have no idea what time it is. Who knows how long we could have been in those nightmares."

She looked up stunned, as though that thought has just became apparent to her. "It could have been a whole day," she said, her voice getting louder at the end.

"I guess. What matter does it make?"

"_All_ _the matter_," She said as though it were the most oblivious thing in the world. "The longer we are away, the more people worry. Can you imagine if they sent someone to look for us? Or even worse, Nico could have come back and we weren't sane enough to help him! He probably would have gone even crazier!"

"Oh. I guess it does kinda' matter," I said stupidly. "Can we sleep? I'm really tired."

"Fine… But I'm staying awake."

"Why?"

"Nico might come back…" I didn't argue with her there. One; I would lose the fight in the end. Two; I was far too tired to try. I spread out on the stone floor, wondering how anyone could ever sleep like this. I soon realized the answer.

When you're worn out, sleeping on a rock isn't that hard. In fact, it's kind of nice…

**Hope ya liked it! I enjoyed writing that chapter for some reason... (In case you didn't realize this, that lady who was burnt alive was not his mom, it was all just an illusion of the things Annabeth and Percy would hate to see).**


	8. Chapter 8

4

**Sorry about the delay... I normally try to post a chapter a week, but I was working on a picture for a while, than I began 3 more stories :D My brains exploding!! It's Amazing (you should try it)! Anyway, I'll probably post a chapter from some of my other stories too. Hehe, if my computer could move itself, it would break the keyboard.**

**The chapters might be a little delayed from now on :(. Until about last week, I already had 6 chapters typed and ready to post. Than, as the other ideas flowed through my head, I stopped this story and started others. This chapter is coming straight from my computer to you (I finished it about an hour ago). But not to worry, I shall (love that word) continue!!... Enjoy...**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or the PJO series, however I did come up with the story... If I could rewrite the books, Luke would be alive!!!**

The dreams returned, and I can't say I enjoyed it. I had only had… well actually I had had no days of peaceful sleep for a while. Apparently, one night was just too much to ask. However, I can't say they weren't helping us. This one especially caused us to change our course.

"I don't know who they are," Nico said pleasantly. This must have been right after Annabeth had given him the ambrosia. "One moment it was quiet, then _plop_, they where there."

"What did they say?" Hades growled. He was fidgeting nervously with a stone. What could the king of the underworld be nervous about?

"I forget almost everything up until the part when I got here. I remember that!" I laughed a little at the irony of all of it. Hades had used the sounds specifically to make Nico forget things. Now, when he needed him to remember something, Nico just couldn't. _That's what you get for using sound torture_.

"… How are you feeling?" An odd question, but Nico didn't seem to notice. Like Hades _cared_ about how he felt.

"Good actually! Even my wrist and arms feel better. See?" He turned them over for the god to observe. The cuts had shrunk as well as the swelling. I sighed a little with relief. If nothing else, we had helped him feel better. "I don't know how they got better though… Whatever. I like it this way!"

"Strange how fast they healed, especially since I had just caused those injuries recently… Can you remember eating anything?"

"No, but I don't feel as hungry as before." Hades eyes widened in anger. We had helped Nico when Hades had been trying to torture him, and now the god knew. So much for staying unnoticed…

"You are not going back there," Hades mumbled to himself.

"But they talked to me! It's so empty down there without them… Can't I go back?"

"How about a game?" The dark eyes grew humorous. "The rules are simple; even you can remember them I'm sure," Nico nodded. "Good. If you don't make any noises, you can go back to the people. In fact, I'll let you go free!"

Nico's eyes lit up instantly, but I knew something was wrong. That deal was far too good to be true. "What are you going to do to me?"

"You will have to see. With that, I assume you will play?"

"W-what if I lose? Do I die?"

"No, I will just put you somewhere far, _far _away from them. You will never see the light of day again, as If you could see it from down here... Anyway, let's begin!" He laughed. Snapping his fingers once, a wide array of food appeared not one foot away from Nico. He eyed it greedily, taking in the sight of the hamburgers, fries, and basically every other food a starving teen could want** [RED VELVET CAKE... Sorry... Continue]**. Even I got hungry looking at it.

"All I have to do is stay quiet, right?" He said cautiously. I knew what he was thinking; eating could be done without noises, right?

Well it normally can, but that's with regular food. Who could possibly know what was in the stuff down here?

"Indeed," Hades purred. Tentatively, Nico grabbed a piece of pizza. He paused for a moment, as though expecting something to happen. Nothing did, so he pulled it to his face. I didn't have any clue what was going on, only that I did not want Nico eating that pizza. Something would have to happen to make Nico scream; I was sure of it.

"Go on," Hades said impatiently after about two more minutes of pizza inspection. "It is just pizza after all!" Dubbing it safe, Nico smiled and took a bite. The moment it he did, it went from harmless pizza to burning slice of hell. Nico quickly threw the slice away from him, struggling to get the bite he had taken out of his mouth.

"Nico!" I shouted, despite knowing he couldn't hear me. "Spit out the pizza!"

Now what would you do if you had a flaming piece of pizza in your mouth? I'll give you 3 choices…

1.)Throw up. Burnt pizza is horrible

2.)Scream and run in circles, scooping out the pizza with your hands

3.)Spit it out and move on. With a bit of ice, your face will be fine… eventually.

Nico chose 2, frantically yelling muffled words as his hands pulled out the pizza. Hades stood cackling in the corner, enjoying his pain as though it were a Broadway show. What a sick god Hades really was. Looking away from the smoking Nico, I aimed an invisible glower at the underworld king. "Not as easy as you had thought, huh? Well, this is what I expected. You will be staying at the grand bowels of the Avernus crater! ... Have fun."

Nico's dark eyes widened. Apparently, he remembered what it was like down there. I could only remember what Chiron had told me.

_It's black. Nothing more to it… Kind of like closing your eyes, except when you open them, it's still not light. Nothing is known to live there, yet noises still are claimed to be heard._

_Someone has survived it? Alive?_

_Yes and no… You see, just because you survive, doesn't mean you're alive. Do you get that? They came out a shell of the former demigod they once were. _**[**_.com/art/Survived-but-Not-Alive-23577074_**All credit for that goes to yukidragon on deviantart. I loved that saying, so I used it. it's all hers/his.]**At the time, I hadn't understood it. I did now; all the people who ever got out were crazy. Being crazy wasn't really the same as being alive…

With a wave of Hades hand, Nico was gone. "All too easy," he laughed, the noise shaking me out of my nightmare and into reality.

I couldn't tell if it were morning or not, so I woke Annabeth up. Better to be too early than too late, especially in this situation.

"It's not even light out," She complained.

"It's never light here! Get up, we have to get out of here."

That woke her up. "Why the hurry?"

"Nico isn't coming back here. Hades sent him lower."

"Lower than here? Why'd he do that? The sound torture was defiantly working…"

"They had a game. Nico lost. Now, what was I supposed to do with the water?"

"Get enough so we float to the top." I raised one eyebrow doubtfully.

"I don't think-"

"Just try," She urged.

"Fine," I sighed, as though I had an option. We would eventually need to get out. Closing my eyes, I was about to start. I thought about the ocean and Tyson and Poseidon. The memories made me want the ocean more and more. Coral, flowing in the water between schools of fish. Maybe even Rainbow swimming with the clown fish. Things were getting so realistic; I could almost feel the water at my feet.

_No, the water _**is **_at your feet. _"Oh," I mumbled, watching the shimmering ground. Willing me and Annabeth dry, I stopped my daydreaming and focused on floating.

"How'd you do that so fast?" Annabeth questioned as the water got to our ankles and we had to hold the bags.

"Wasn't me," I said pointing upwards. "Thanks dad." It was the only possible answer. After all, I hadn't even tried that hard; there was no way I could have gotten any water yet. It was kind of nice to know he was watching us, too. The thought made me smile.

"Oh- uh, thank you," Annabeth stammered. I could tell by her eyes she was hoping her mother didn't hear that. Poseidon and Athena still hadn't made up for their meaningless fight. Thanking the enemy wouldn't be tolerated by Athena.

The water sped up; falling out of cracks in the rocks I had not seen before. Soon, it was near out waist, gently lapping upwards. Me, being totally comfortable and at home in the water, tried to make Annabeth forget she was in the water. "Do you know where the darkest part of the crater is?" I shouted over the sloshing.

"I don't know exactly, b-but I have an idea. Why is the water s-s-so cold?"

I laughed a little. "It's not getting you wet. I think it's kind of nice!"

"Well you would seaweed brain. But, unlike y-you, I'm not really made for being submerged in water. More like building temples, or creating plans," She said dreamily, absent mindedly rubbing her arms. "I can't wait till I get to design buildings! Th-they will be amazing!" I had finally distracted her from the water, creeping up our sides.

"How long will they take?" I asked, fueling her conversation with questions. I would forget the answers to them by tomorrow, but why not act interested?

"I don't know… It depends on how m-much help I get in building them. Maybe the whole camp could pitch in!" I tried to imagine me and Mikayla attempting to build… The scene ended with us both hammering our hands to the wall.

"I don't think I should be building. I'm gonna' stick with water, thanks."

"Speaking of which, it's getting pretty high now. Get ready to float." In my attempts to distract Annabeth, I had ended up distracting myself. _Whoops_.

Slowly, we were lifted off our feet in the water. I thought it felt great, but Annabeth was obliviously annoyed. She kept giving the water evil glares, hitting the top of it with her hand ever so often. "You can't hurt water," I reminded her.

She transferred the glare to me. "I can try. How much longer till we can get out?" The water was going pretty fast, getting us closer and closer to the surface.

"Probably another minute I guess. You don't like floating?" I asked.

"N-not at all. It's not hard, I just hate it," she complained.

"But I'm keeping you dry! What's to hate now?"

"I don't know. I just don't like it." The water was getting a lot faster, till I could almost touch the ceiling with my hand. Annabeth had thrown the bags out of the cave, so the only thing we had to worry about now was floating.

Annabeth climbed out of the cave first, helping me out after her. Thanking my dad again for the water, we made our way back into the fog.

"So what are we looking for?" Annabeth asked.

"The darkest part of the crater… Maybe it's still one of these."

"Maybe, but how would we be able to tell? It was lucky your dad gave us the water, or we probably wouldn't have been able to get out. If we get tricked into another cave, we could be seriously stuck in there."

"True," I agreed reluctantly. "Do you know of any craters in the crater?"

Annabeth laughed a little as we ascended into the fog. "I don't know for sure. I haven't ever heard of one before, but that doesn't mean it's not here."

I sighed. This was going to take a while; something I had been wishing untrue since the second we left Chiron's cabin. "Are we going to make a trail in the dirt?"

"Why would we? All it would do is lead us back here, and that won't help us out."

"You could have just said no," I mumbled. We were both kind of aggravated, as our recent discovery ended up without any luck. Yes, we had found Nico, but I felt as though it was kind of our fault he was moved to somewhere even worse. If we hadn't made our presence so oblivious, we could possibly be headed for camp right now.

"Do you think we should tell Chiron about this?" I asked. Like Annabeth had said earlier; it would be horrible if they sent someone looking for us.

"Tomorrow. We need to act fast and see if we can find Nico before it goes pitch black. I want to be over with quests for a while."

I turned to her, surprise written clearly on my face. Calmly, she answered my silent question. "It seems as though most of the quests I've been on have only brought pain to me and others. You with the whole Kronos thing, which by the way could have gone _so _much worse, and now Nico… Luke."

I flinched at the sound of his name. "You never went on a quest with him."

"Yes, but because I went on that first quest with you, we found out Luke was evil. That was painful for me! And then he killed himself," She let out a shaky breath. "Hey, do you think he could be down here? I mean, he was a demigod, which meant he had a spirit."

"I hope not," I growled. Luke and I had never been the best of friends, and seeing him again might make me go as crazy as Nico. Annabeth glared at me.

"Remember, it was because of him we're here. Specifically it's because of him _you're here--_."

"Let's not start," I said before she could start again. "We need to find Nico."

"Right. Nico. Got it."

Still, though we stopped talking about it, the thought of Luke being in the underworld stirred my mind. If he was here, would he help? The prophecy made it seem like it, but you never really knew with those.

And had Luke really saved me? I remembered the determination I was feeling when fighting Kronos, but would that have been enough to keep me alive? I couldn't stand that thought that my used-to-be enemy had saved my life. It just seemed… Wrong.

The rest of the day was rather uneventful. We searched as hard as we could, yet we couldn't find anything between the fog. Everything was seeming pretty bad, and yet it was about to get much, much worse.

**Mwa HAHA! Did you like it? It wasn't my favorite chapter to write, however I loved the flaming pizza!... Have any of you played robot unicorn attack yet? If not, type it in on google now. You will be amazed**


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